Second Chances
by QuietRaine
Summary: Six years after the defeat of Ultimecia, Squall is left to raise his child alone. Esthar and Galbadia are on the verge of a treaty that will unite the world. Who's the new face dumped into Squall's lap as he heads for Esthar? OC.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: This story takes place six years after the defeat of Ultimecia. Squall and Rinoa married and had a child, but Rinoa was killed two years before the start of this story. I'm open to all constructive criticism, but please, no flames!_

_Disclaimer: All Final Fantasy VIII characters belong to Square-Enix, and do not belong to me. Please don't sue me!_

Enjoy!

Chapter 1 – Off On the Wrong Foot

Squall Leonhart strolled through the gates of Balamb Garden feeling as if he had been run over by a train. Muscles that, two days before he hadn't even known he had, were now begging for some must needed rest. He even thought that he just might be able to count each individual working part in each of his ears.

Squinting against the bright sun, Squall looked up toward the top of Garden, then rubbed a tired hand across his face. He knew that he really should go to see Cid and Edea to pick Cassidy up, but he really wasn't sure that he could handle the antics of a rambunctious three-year-old in his present state.

Heaving a tired sigh, Squall shifted his gaze to the path ahead of him. He took one step, and then stopped in his tracks. With a brief look around, he realized that he had no escape. He was trapped. Coming his way was something he was even less sure that he could handle.

Selphie Tilmitt.

Kylah Deraldi struggled not to laugh at her friend as she and Selphie walked through Garden. Selphie was babbling a mile a minute about the date that she had gone on with Irvine the night before. While Kylah was happy for her friend, she was not particularly interested in just how amazing of a kisser Irvine happened to be. Still, she did not want to be rude, so dutifully injected exclamations and remarks where expected.

"And then we – " Selphie seemed stopped mid-sentence as her eye caught something ahead. She gasped, and then let out a huge whoop. "SQUAAAALLLL!" she squealed, breaking into a run.

Unfortunately, her brakes did not seem to be working. She did not stop once she reached Squall, but instead tackle-hugged him and managed to knock them both to the ground.

"Ow, Selph!" Squall groaned, shoving the petite brunette off of him. "Careful! Man returning from mission. Battle with T-Rexaur. Cracked ribs. Not comfortable."

"I'm so sorry!" Selphie apologized, throwing her arms around him in another hug. Squall barely stifled a groan, his lips turning white with the sudden new onset of pain.

"Selphie!" he yelped.

"Oops!" Selphie scrambled to her feet, then offered a hand to Squall.

"That's okay!" he said quickly, unsure if allowing Selphie to "help" was a wise idea. "I think I can manage."

Kylah watched the scene with amusement and a little sympathy.

_So,_ she thought to herself, _this is the famous Squall Leonhart._

She inconspicuously eyed him up and down. Squall was a legend among the SeeD's of Balamb Garden. Kylah had heard around the garden that he was a looker, but she was not prepared for the man that stood before her. Squall was lean and muscular. His unruly dark hair made him look just a little dangerous, and the black aviator jacket that he wore added to the image. SeeD or no, she, as a female, could definitely appreciate the way his gunbelt was held up nicely by his slim hips and muscular backside.

Kylah cleared her throat as a gentle reminder to Selphie that she was standing, watching.

"Oh!" Selphie cried, reminded that she had forgotten her friend. "I almost forgot! Kylah Deraldi, this is Squall Leonhart. Squall, Kylah."

Smiling, Kylah offered her hand. "Pleased to meet you," she said, smoothly.

Squall glanced at her hand, nodded at her, and then waved the two of them away. "Sleep," he mumbled. "Need sleep." Then he strode away.

Kylah stared after him, dumbfounded. Legendary SeeD mercenary, incredible fighter or no, she had never been so snubbed in her life.

* * *

"Oh, don't take it personally," Selphie scoffed a little while later as they sat together with Quistis Trepe in the cafeteria. Kylah sat glaring into her lunch, looking as if she were incredibly annoyed with her hotdog.

"Yeah," Quistis agreed. "I'll give him this much; Squall is definitely an equal-opportunity ass."

"Wuff wor wu wawies wakin wawout?" a muffled voice came up behind them. Zell Dincht approached their table, a hotdog in each hand and one in his mouth.

"That's disgusting, Zell," Quistis wrinkled her nose up at him, brushing crumbs from her shoulder.

"Sorry," he put the hotdogs down on a plate on the table, and then pulled up another chair. "So, what's going on?"

Kylah glared at him. "Squall Leonheart has just received this year's award for world's biggest jerk."

Zell nodded, considering his hotdogs. "So, I see you've tried to meet him." He paused. "You didn't ask to play with his gunblade, did you?"

This time he was rewarded with a chuckle. "Zell, please, I don't do that on a first introduction. I don't even do that on a first date!"

The entire table laughed. The Quistis broke in, a serious tone in her voice. "I remember a time when Squall wasn't so serious and, well, asinine."

Zell and Selphie sighed, then nodded.

"What happened?" Kylah asked, curiously.

The other three looked at each other. Kylah had so quickly become a part of their group of friends, they sometimes forgot that she hadn't always been around. Finally, Quistis spoke. "Two years ago, Squall lost his wife, Rinoa. She was the sun and the moon for him, and he hasn't been the same since." She paused, remembering. "When he was with Rinoa, he was happy, even joyful. He would joke around, and even smile occasionally. And when their daughter, Cass, was born, I though he was going to explode with happiness." A light smile touched her face. "They were a small, happy family." Her pretty face clouded. "Then Rinoa was attacked in the park one day with Cass. The baby, miraculously, was spared. Rinoa wasn't."

"Wow," Kylah let out the word on one long breath.

A stormy look entered Zell's eyes. "The creep that took her out was some no-name enemy of SeeD, who had it in particularly for Squall. He knew that the best way to hurt Squall was to take away the thing that meant more to him than anything in this world. Rinoa."

"It's almost like a part of Squall died with Rinoa," Selphie mused, stirring her drink with a straw.

"What happened to Cass?" Kylah asked.

"Oh, she's around," Zell responded. "Cid and Edea take turns with my mom looking after for her when Squall is out on a mission." He chuckled, "Hey, my mom does want grandchildren, and it's not like she stands a high chance of getting them from me!"

"And the rest of us are grateful that you are not reproducing anytime soon," Quistis interjected, patting his arm. "I don't think we could handle another Zell Dincht."

* * *

"…And so, I was successful in escorting the ambassador to his destination."

Squall was leaned back comfortably in a chair in Cid's office, his feet propped lazily on the edge of the desk. He had slept and showered, and felt worlds better than he had when he arrived. Cid had given him four blessed hours to rest before debriefing.

Cid nodded with satisfaction at Squall's report. "I knew I could count on you. Good work." He paused, unsure of how to approach his next topic. "So, it looks as though you have a few weeks off."

Squall frowned. "Surely you have something I can be doing."

"I'm afraid not," Cid shook his head. "We can't have our SeeD's collapsing from exhaustion. You've been at it for nearly ten weeks, solid. It's time to take a break." He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts and his courage. "You know, Cass was asking about you the other day. Asking where you were, and why you have to be gone so much."

A painful twinge struck Squall's heart, but he fought to ignore it. "I have to work," was his reply. "She needs to understand that."

"A three-year-old doesn't understand work," Cid replied softly. "She understands that her daddy isn't there when she needs him."

Pushing the chair back roughly, Squall shot to his feet. "She'll grow up. She'll get used to it. I'm only one person. I can't be two parents. Cass will just have to learn that I have to work, and can't be there for her all the time." Angrily, he stalked out of the room, hands jammed into his pockets.

Cid sighed as he watched Squall huff off. "I have to wonder," he murmured to himself, "if you can't be there, or if you won't be there."

* * *

With a contented sigh, Kylah settled down in a comfy chair in the corner of the library, a good book in her hands. Rarely did she allow herself this quiet luxury. In all actuality, she really should be in the training center keeping up her skills… but…well…the book lying on the desk in her dorm room had looked so inviting. It promised action, adventure, and romance.

The last, of which, was sadly lacking in her life.

After a few minutes, Kylah was completely engrossed in the story. The rest of the room seemed to fade away around her as she was swept away by the fearless pirate rescuing his lady fair. She was so enraptured by the story that she nearly missed the small sound from behind her chair.

A small, childlike giggle.

With a frown, Kylah reluctantly lowered her book and peered around the side of the chair. She caught a brief glimpse of dark hair as a small figure ducked back behind the chair. Fighting back a smile, she then turned and peered around the other side of the chair. Again, a flash of shining hair, and another chuckle. Grinning by this time, Kylah rose out of the chair, then quickly ducked down beside the chair.

"Aha!" she cried, finally catching sight of her playmate.

A tiny, pixie-like face grinned back at her. The child had long, dark hair and wide green eyes. She had an impish grin on her face, and life seemed to pour out of her bright smile.

"Hi!" she said, walking out closer to Kylah.

"Hello," Kylah responded. She knew that children this young were not common in Balamb Garden, so she had to wonder where this one had come from. "I'm Kylah."

The girl offered her tiny hand. "I'm Cass Leonhart. Pleased to meet you."

_Ah, _Kylah thought. _So this little imp is Squall's daughter._ "It's nice to meet you, Cass," was what she replied. She looked around for signs of an adult accompanying the child, but saw none. "Are you supposed to be here?"

Cass covered her mouth with her hands and giggled. "No," she whispered conspiratorially. "Daddy needed to stop by his room for a minute, and told me to stay outside and wait for him. I decided to play a game with him. We're playing hide and seek! My hiding place was behind your chair. Isn't that a good spot?"

Kylah fought back a laugh. Somehow, she thought that Squall was probably unaware that he was involved in his daughter's little game. "I'm sure that your game is a lot of fun," she said, gently, "but we should probably go find your daddy."

Cass opened her mouth to speak, when a masculine voice boomed from the library entrance. "Cassidy Leonhart!"

"Uh oh," Cass breathed, and ducked back behind the chair.

Squall entered the library looking none too happy with his daughter. Stormy eyes resting on Kylah, he asked, "Have you seen a small urchin running around?"

"About this high," Kylah held her hand just below her waist, "dark hair, devilish grin?" Squall nodded. "Check behind the chair."

"Aw, man!" Cass wailed. "You gave it away!"

Squall strode over to the chair, and scooped his offspring up into his muscular arms. "You are in a world of trouble, young lady! I have been looking all over for you! Never, ever do that again!"

Kylah raised her eyebrow at the firm lecture that the small girl was receiving. "Take it easy, Leonhart," she interjected, mildly. "She just thought that she was playing a game with you."

Squall turned his gaze to Kylah. "You, stay out of this. It's none of your business. What do you know about raising a child?"

Kylah shrugged. "I don't really know a whole lot about raising one, but I do seem to remember something about being one. She just wanted to play with the father that she hasn't seen in weeks. What's the harm in that?"

"The harm in that," Squall shot back, "is that I didn't know where she was. She could have been hurt, or in danger."

A roll of Kylah's wide, blue eyes rewarded him. "In Balamb Garden? You can't be serious. Children just a few years older than Cass roam about this place every day without worry of danger or injury."

Cass watched this exchange with wide, interested eyes. She had never heard her daddy yell at anyone like that. Not even Zell.

"She could have wandered into the training center and met up with a T-rexaur or worse!"

Now it was Cass' turn to roll her eyes. "Daddy," she interrupted, "I KNOW not to go in the training center! There is big, scary monsters in there! Cid told me so. And Zell, and Quisty…."

Squall gave her a Look, and she closed her small mouth.

"See?" Kylah gestured toward Cass. "She knows not to go in there. Cid told her not to. Actually, though, I believe that is something that her FATHER should have told her."

Oops. Kylah knew instantly that she had gone too far. Squall's ice blue eyes turned even icier as he glared at her.

"Come on, Cass," he said, a little too gruffly. "We're going to be late for lunch with Zell." He turned back to Kylah. "WE have nothing more to say." He then turned and stormed off.

"Oh boy!" Cass cried in delight. "Zell! I love Zell. I'm going to marry him one day." She waved to Kylah over Squall's retreating shoulder. "Bye! I'm glad I met you!"

"I don't think your father is too glad about it," she murmured to herself as she helplessly waved to Cass.

* * *

"How's my favorite girl?" Zell asked as Cass threw herself at him in the cafeteria.

"Zell!" she cried, wrapping her little arms around his legs. "Guess what! I played hide and seek with Daddy, and met a really nice lady named Kylah. She was awfully pretty, and was reading a REALLY BIG book!"

Zell quirked a smile up at Squall as he approached, looking much as if he had been sucking on a lemon. "I take it you weren't as excited about this game of hide and seek?"

Squall merely grunted, then took a seat at an available table.

"Daddy yelled at Kylah. I mean YELLED!" Cass interjected, nodding for emphasis. "He sounded really mad." She cocked her head thoughtfully. "A lot like Quisty did that time that I tied her whip in knots."

Zell gave Squall a look of psuedo-shock. "Whaaa? The Ice King himself, Squall Leonhart lost his temper with someone?"

Squall glared back at him. "She was messing with business that wasn't hers to mess in."

Zell nodded, realizing that he would get nothing out of Squall. That was alright with him, because he knew that Kylah would be more than willing to spill, er, vent it to him later.

"C'mon, small fry," he said, taking Cass' hand. "Let's go get some hotdogs!"

* * *

Kylah stood up on the second floor observation deck staring up at the night sky. The stars looked beautiful at night over Garden. This was one of her favorite spots. Her spot to think, to relax.

She was seriously rethinking what she had said to Squall earlier in the library. Maybe he was being too hard on Cass, but he was right; it was none of her business. With a sigh, she rested her chin on her arms.

"I thought you might be up here," said a voice from behind.

Kylah smiled. "Hey Zell."

"You're as predictable as the cafeteria menu. Up here nearly every night, staring at those stars as if you expect them to change or something."

She laughed. "Nah, I know they're not going anywhere. They just help me think."

"Whatcha thinkin' about tonight?"

She turned and looked at him, a remorseful look on her face. "I think I crossed the line with Squall this afternoon."

"You know, I thought he was in a more foul mood than usual," Zell quipped.

She wrinkled her nose at him. "This isn't funny."

He chuckled. "Okay, what did you do that was so terrible."

"I may have implied, slightly, that he was a bad or inadequate father."

Zell let out a breath. "Ouch. You really do know where to hit a guy where it hurts!"

She gazed back up at the ink-black sky again. "Do you think I should apologize?"

"I think so," he nodded. "I mean, Squall is generally impersonable, but he's not unforgiving. I'm sure that if you apologized, he'd let it drop.

Kylah let out a long breath. "I certainly hope so."

* * *

"Shhh! We're gonna get caught!"

"If you don't quit shushing me, yes we will. Now shut up already!"

Hand-in-hand, Selphie and Irvine crept quietly through the quiet corridors of Garden well after curfew. They may be SeeD, internationally recognized heroes, and responsible adults, but sneaking around after hours was still frowned upon by administration. They could probably get around it, but to them, it just seemed more risky and adventurous if they snuck around covertly.

Finally reaching the entrance to the Training Center, they relaxed. This was the one area of Garden that was open after hours.

And one of the preferred meeting areas for young lovers.

Selphie snuggled her cheek against Irvine's shoulder as they strolled through the Training Center, both carefully on the lookout for surprises that may jump out from the dark. Finally, after a few silent and careful minutes, they arrived in the "secret area" of the Center. A hidden area in the back, where students liked to meet after curfew.

"Aren't we a little too old to be meeting here?" Selphie asked teasingly, as she turned to face Irvine out on the balcony. She wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him with a coy expression.

"We can go to our own, separate, rooms if you'd like. But I kinda like it out here," Irvine replied, pulling her a bit closer. He brought his lips down on hers in a soft, gentle kiss, their first of the day.

"So, what did you do today?" Selphie finally asked, reluctantly pulling away.

"Not much. Spent most of it at the practice range. You know me, though. Always score a direct bull's-eye!" He was rewarded with a laugh. "What about you?"

She grinned devilishly. "Kylah got an unpleasant dose of Squall's winning personality today."

He winced, feeling sorry for Kylah. "Poor girl. She's never done anything to deserve that."

"No kidding!" Selphie agreed.

Irvine chuckled. "You sure have changed your tune about Kylah. I remember when you couldn't stand her!"

"Yeah…well…. That was before I got to know her!"

"…And before you realized that she was no threat to you?"

She grinned sheepishly. "What can I say? I may get jealous sometimes, but you still love me!"

"That I do," he agreed, pulling her in for another kiss. "That I do."

* * *

Kylah twisted her hands nervously as the tried to work up the courage to approach Squall. She had found him in the second floor classroom, scowling at a computer terminal as he caught up on announcements and such.

_Does he ever smile?_ she wondered to herself, thinking that this would be much easier if he were friendlier and more approachable. Gathering her last bit of nerve, she took a deep breath and stepped into the quiet classroom.

"Leonhart?" she said, hesitantly.

Squall immediately felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He stifled a groan and closed his eyes. He had come to the classroom to catch up on Garden news in peace. The last thing he wanted was Kylah Deraldi interrupting his reprieve.

"Yes?" he asked, eyes never leaving the screen.

"I owe you an apology," she began. "I was way out of line yesterday."

"Yes, you were," he replied, still not looking up.

Kylah blinked, somehow surprised that he seemed so indifferent to her heartfelt apology. Fighting back irritation, she pressed on. "I really hope you can forgive me. It was just kinda out of my mouth before I had a chance to stop it."

Squall gave her a dismissive wave and continued to stare into the monitor.

She stared at him with a mixture of disbelief and indignance. She could not believe that he would treat her this way when she was putting herself out and apologizing. And sincerely apologizing, at that.

"You know, you really do make it hard for someone to apologize and mean it."

Squall finally looked up from his terminal, his expression one of annoyance. "What do you want me to say?" he demanded. "I didn't ask you to apologize. You spoke what was on your mind. Let's just drop it and move on."

All thoughts and feelings of remorse immediately fled Kylah. "I don't believe you!" she exploded. "I try to be nice, despite your incredibly rude treatment of everyone else, and you throw it back in my face."

"First off," Squall shot back, "I never asked you to be nice to me or to like me. I really couldn't care less what you think. Second, NICE? You call yelling at me in front of my child being NICE?"

Kylah crossed her arms and took a defensive stance. "I was only trying to defend Cass."

"She didn't need you to defend her. She is MY daughter. _I_ have the right to discipline her as _I_ see fit when _I_ feel that she has misbehaved."

"Maybe so. But put yourself in her shoes. Can't you imagine how it feels to be three-years-old and have the father that you haven't seen in weeks scold you on the first day you're together."

Squall stood, then turned to face her with a cold expression. "No," he replied evenly, "I don't know how it feels. At three years old, I was living in an orphanage. I didn't have a father to yell at me."

The fight slid out of Kylah, and she felt about two inches tall. "Leonhart, I'm sorry. I didn't know—"

"Forget it," he broke in, turning to go "Just do me a favor, and don't be 'nice' to me anymore."

"No problem," she whispered to herself, vowing silently to stay as far from Squall Leonhart as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Unlikely Partners

"Hit me."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely. Hit me."

Squall, Zell, and Irvine all sat around a small table after hours in the cafeteria. Each of them had a beer in front of them, and a handful of cards. Over the past two years, they had made poker night a weekly ritual when they all happened to be at Garden, and not away on a mission.

A green visor on his head, Zell traditionally held the position of dealer. He also traditionally lost at least half of his salary to either Irvine or Squall during the course of the game.

Irvine puffed thoughtfully on a cigar as he considered his hand. _Not too bad…not too good, either._

"Kinneas, why do you insist on smoking those things?" Zell asked, waving the air around him with his cards.

"They add to the atmosphere," Irvine responded mildly, not looking up from his cards. "Just don't tell Selphie."

"They may add to our chances of lung cancer, but that's about it," Zell grumbled in retort.

"Don't start on my stogies," Irvine responded. "Why do _you_ insist on wearing those stupid visors?"

"Dealers are _supposed_ to wear 'em. Besides, they go well with my tattoo."

"Whatever," Squall finally interjected, annoyed with the entire exchange.

Zell shot him a murderous look, and then turned his attention back to his hand. He then gave Squall a considering look. "Darn it, Squall, I hate playing with you. I never can tell what kind of hand you have."

"Which is why he usually ends up spending most of your paycheck," Irvine added, smirking. "He is the bluff master."

Squall rolled his eyes, then looked at Zell. "If you can't take the pressure, don't play."

Zell resembled a pressure cooker about to explode as he glared at his friends. "I'll bet five."

Irvine shot Squall a curious look. "What has you in a worse than usual mood tonight? I'll see that five and raise you five."

"Nothing. I'll raise that by ten."

Zell tossed in another chip, raising the bet by five more. "I heard you had a pretty nasty run-in with Kylah."

"I fold," Irvine plopped his cards down on the table, not sure if Squall was bluffing or not. He had a lousy hand, and wasn't taking any chances. "Seems like I heard the same thing from Selphie."

Squall scowled as the tossed more chips into the pile. "Where did she come from anyway?"

Another smirk crossed Irvine's face. "Well, about 23 years ago this man and this woman, who both really loved each other-"

"You know what I mean," Squall interrupted his explanation and shot him a dirty look.

Zell chuckled. "She grew up in Gabaldia Garden with Irvine."

"Yep," Irvine added, watching as his two friends steadily raised the stakes on each other. "We hung out a lot as teenagers. Lost track of her when I moved here. Met up again about a year ago, and started hanging out again. Selphie was fit to be tied when she first came onto the scene, 'cause she thought that Kylah was trying to put the moves on me. Once she realized that Kylah has absolutely no interest in me, in fact looks at me like a big brother, she cooled down and the two of them are the best of friends now."

Squall grunted. "She's kinda annoying."

"Kylah?" Zell broke in, considering his next move. The stakes were getting very high, and he wasn't sure if his hand could beat Squall's or not. The man had an incredible poker face. "Nah, she's pretty cool. She's the kinda girl that will help Quistis teach in the morning, go shopping with Selphie in the afternoon, and have a beer with Irvine and me that night."

"Yeah," Irvine added. "She's gotten to be friends with all of us. She's pretty cool to have around."

"I fold," Zell finally announced, defeated.

A very slight smirk touched Squall's lips as he carefully, one-by-one laid his cards out for Zell to see.

"A PAIR OF TWOS?" Zell yelped. "YOU BEAT ME WITH A PAIR OF TWOS!"

"I guess your game is almost as bad as your fighting style," Squall quipped.

Irvine fell out of his chair and sat hard on the floor, laughing hysterically as he watched Zell run after Squall, threatening Leonhart's very existence with every step.

* * *

"So, you don't think she's too young to start?"

Quistis and Kylah stood side-by-side in the main quad of Balamb Garden, deep in discussion about one of Quistis' young students. The girl was interested in taking up the double-ended sword that Kylah was so proficient with, but her instructor had concerns.

Kylah shook her head. "She's not too young to start, however, she's probably too small to try the full sword. Given her age and size, I would start her out on a couple of short swallows so that she could get the feel of using two blades at once. Something like this," she pointed to a picture of two small blades in the latest issue of Weapons Monthly.

Quistis looked over the magazine picture. "I'm really not that proficient with bladed weapons, though. I don't suppose I could coerce you into tutoring her a little?"

Before Kylah had a chance to respond, a cheerful chime and a voice came from overhead.

"Commander Leonhart and Kylah Deraldi, please report to the headmaster's office. Repeat, Squall Leonhart and Kylah Deraldi please report to the headmaster's office at once."

Kylah quirked an eyebrow at Quistis, "This doesn't sound promising."

Quistis grinned. "How long has it been since you were called to the headmaster's office?"

"Not long enough. I spent more than my fair share of time in there as a teenager." She sighed resignedly. "Well, I might as well get this over with. We'll talk more about your student later." With a wave to Quistis, Kylah turned and strode toward the elevator that would deliver her into Cid's office.

She arrived a few minutes later, and found that Squall had beaten her there. He shot her an icy look as she strolled casually into the room. Not willing to let him have the upper hand, she returned the look with as bright a smile as she could muster. Her reward was a deep scowl.

"Ah, Kylah," Cid greeted her warmly. "Thank you for coming so quickly." He regarded the both of them for a long moment. "A mission request came through just a little while ago that is going to require the both of you."

They both looked floored. "Excuse me, what?" Kylah stuttered.

"The governing bodies of Esthar and Galbadia have both agreed to sign a treaty that would end the decades of battle between the two nations. However, representatives from Esthar are a little leery of the intentions of the other party involved. Therefore, President Loire of Esthar has requested that we send two SeeD members to the summit and treaty signing to help 'keep the peace.'" He paused to shuffle through his mission notes. "I immediately suggested Kylah because of her extensive experience in peace negotiations."

The redhead smiled at the compliment.

"The president agreed to this, but specifically requested that you, Squall, be sent as well."

"Why me?" Squall protested. "Aren't I supposed to be on vacation or something?"

Cid shrugged. "And weren't you asking just three days ago if there wasn't another mission that I could send you on? I'm not entirely sure why President Loire wants you in particular at the summit. I would imagine it is because he is familiar with you after the whole Ultimecia incident. If you want more information, I suggest you ask him yourself when you arrive in Esthar. Here are two train tickets, compliments of the Estharian government." He handed them their tickets, along with their mission briefings. "You leave first thing in the morning. The summit begins in one week."

Kylah and Squall both stared dumfounded at the tickets in each of their hands, then looked up at each other. Like it or not, it appeared as if they would be spending a lot of time together over the next couple of weeks.

* * *

"Why couldn't it be someone else," Kylah fumed as she shoved clothing haphazardly into her duffel bag. "Anyone else? Zell, or Irvine… I don't care who!"

"Calm down," Quistis soothed, as she pulled Kylah's clothing back out of the bag to refold it. "Look, if President Loire requested Squall, I'm sure he had a good reason for it."

"Yeah," Selphie chimed in, "Sir Laguna is a smart leader, in addition to being exceptionally handsome! He wouldn't do it for absolutely no reason!"

Kylah eyed Selphie inquisitively. "I take it you've met the president?" Both of her friends nodded. "What's he like?" she asked, hoping to get a feel for the mission ahead of time.

Quistis and Selphie looked at each other, then burst out laughing.

"He's definitely not what you would picture the president of such a powerful nation to be," Quistis began once she calmed down.

"He's a little off-the-wall," Selphie continued.

"And… a little goofy."

"Flamboyant."

"Excitable, charismatic, charming…"

"And did I mention devastatingly handsome?" Selphie finished up.

Kylah looked back and forth between the two. "This definitely sounds to be an…interesting mission."

* * *

"Daddy, do you hafta go?" Cassidy whined as she sat on Squalls bed clutching a stuffed bunny and watched him pack.

"'Fraid so, kid," he replied, stuffing some t-shirts into his duffel. "It shouldn't take long, though. I'll be back in a couple weeks."

"A couple weeks!" she wailed. "It's not fair. You just got home!"

Squall sighed and closed his eyes tiredly. "Cassidy, you know I have to do my job."

She pouted, her small mouth turning down into a frown. "You said you were gonna have some time off. That we could spend some time together," she said, accusingly.

"Things change. Look, kiddo, I have to do my job. I promise, when I get back we'll spend some time together."

"Whatever," she replied, picking at her rabbit's ears.

"Cassidy Julia Leonhart, where did you learn to talk like that?"

She looked up at him with an exasperated look. "From you, Daddy. Duh!"

Groaning, Squall sank down on the edge of the bed next to her and pulled her into his lap. Despite herself, Cass abandoned the rabbit and wrapped her tiny arms around her father's neck, clinging for dear life.

Squall hugged her tight and kissed her chubby little cheek. "I promise, I'll be home soon," he said softly.

* * *

Thousands of miles away, Laguna Loire looked out the window of the presidential office over the city of Esthar. He had ruled as president of the country for nearly twenty-five years, and the citizens had always lived worrying about another Gabaldian attack. Now, it appeared that it was all about to end.

Stepping away from the window, he sunk down into the chair at his desk and picked up a photo that he kept sitting there. Raine. _Oh, I wish you were here right now, _he thought wistfully as he fingered the frame.

"Am I interrupting?" a soft voice came from the doorway.

Laguna looked up and broke into a smile when he caught sight of his niece, Ellone, standing in the doorway. "Nah," he replied, returning the photo to his desktop. "I'm just working hard at avoiding the mountain of paperwork that Kiros insists on piling on my desk every morning."

"You'd better pay attention to that paperwork," she chided, gently. "You have a peace treaty to negotiate in a few days."

He waved dismissively. "That's why I'm paying SeeD to come. To help negotiate."

She studied him carefully. "SeeD, eh? So, Cid agreed to send someone?"

He turned and faced the window again. "I requested someone, actually."

"Uncle Laguna…" Ellone began, knowing exactly whom her uncle was speaking of.

"Elle, I think he deserves to know the truth. I'm going to tell him this time."

She lowered herself to sit on the edge of his desk. "He might not take it so well."

Laguna shifted his gaze to the picture of Raine once again. _I wish so much that you could be here…_"What's the worst he could do? Have Quezacotl attack me?"

_Much more than that, I'm afraid…_Ellone thought, fearing that Squall could do more damage than Laguna realized.

* * *

Kylah gazed out of the train window, watching the scenery pass by. Periodically, she would shoot a glance over at Squall, who was lounging on one of the two beds in the SeeD compartment. He had one arm slung over his eyes, trying to take a nap.

Judging from his restless tossing and turning, Kylah didn't think he was having much success.

Finally unable to stand Kylah's staring any longer, Squall shot up, looked at her and said "WHAT!"

"Nothing, it's nothing," she replied, quickly turning back to the window.

He gave her a skeptical look.

"Okay, okay," she relented. "Look, we're going to be spending the next two weeks together, working in close quarters. I think that, for the sake of the mission, we should call a truce. Whatever ill feelings we have toward each other, we need to put aside for the duration of the mission so that President Loire doesn't feel like he's wasted his money on two squabbling children."

Though he hated to admit it, she had a point. "Okay, truce," he said.

Nodding with satisfaction, Kylah turned back to the window, leaving Squall to return to his nap.

"Why do you suppose the president requested that you go?" she finally spoke up, unable to bear the silence any longer.

Squall sighed heavily, giving up on the possibility of a nap. He pulled himself up off of the berth and took a seat on the other end of the bench from Kylah. "I dunno," he replied. "I suppose it's because I've worked with him before, during the Ultimecia stuff."

Kylah looked thoughtful. "I remember that time. I was a bit younger than you, still a student, but I remember it all happening." She turned to Squall. "Is the president easy to work with?"

He shrugged non-committally. "He's not difficult to work with. He's….different."

"So I've heard," she replied with a chuckle.

He raised an eyebrow wryly. "Don't believe everything Selphie says. Much to Irvine's chagrin, she has a bit of a crush on President Loire."

"Again, so I've heard."

They were both quiet for a few minutes, enjoying the scenery as they passed through Fisherman's Horizon. Squall remembered passing through there years before, that time on a different mission. _Rinoa…_

"What made you become a SeeD?"

Kylah's abrupt question pulled him out of his memories. "What? Why?" He shook his head to clear it. "I've never really thought about it."

"Surely you had a reason."

He shook his head. "Not really. I went from the orphanage to Garden. It was something that was always assumed. There's not a reason for everything."

"Sure there is!" she insisted.

"Okay, then, why did YOU become a SeeD?"

"Rebellion. Pure and simple."

"Rebellion?" Squall looked confused.

She nodded. "My parents were 'high society' in Galbadia. My father was an ambassador, my mother…well…. a socialite I guess you would call it. I was expected to go on to college, meet a suitable man, marry well, and follow in my mother's footsteps. I decided that wasn't for me. So, I ran away, fled to Garden, and pleaded my case to Martine. I wanted to do something different. Garden took me in. I trained, and became a SeeD. Because I wanted to."

"Let me get this straight. You ran away from a perfectly nice home with your parents to train to become a mercenary because you wanted to? Not because you had to, but because you wanted to?"

She nodded.

"And your parents? What did they have to say about this?"

"My father didn't like it. Disowned me, as a matter of fact. He said that no child of his would be out making money off of other people's problems."

"You gave up your family to become a SeeD?"

"No," she replied. "My friends at Garden became more of a family to me than my parents ever were."

"Still, it's not like a real family."

She eyed him curiously. "You have a real family, though. You have Cass."

"That's not a family. That's two people."

A smile touched her face as a pang touched her heart. "It only takes two people to have a family," she replied, softly.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – I'm sleeping WHERE?

"Hey, wake up," Squall nudged Kylah's foot with the toe of his boot. "We're almost there."

Kylah opened her eyes sleepily, and looked around trying to gain her bearings as to where she was. She abruptly remembered that she was on a train bound for Esthar. With Squall Leonhart.

She closed her eyes again, and inwardly groaned.

"We're almost to Esthar?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Actually, we're almost to the last train station before Esthar. A presidential representative will pick us up there."

She nodded, then stood and stretched. Every muscle in her body complained loudly. She sorely wished she had not fallen asleep in her seat. Rubbing her sore neck, she reached down and picked up her duffel as the train eased to a stop.

"Final stop, Esthar," the conductor's voice came over the intercom. "Final stop, Esthar."

"I guess this is us," she said, shouldering her bag and following Squall out of the compartment.

They stepped from the train and out into the bright sunshine. Kylah shielded her eyes and looked around. Nearby was a rather large vehicle, with two official looking gentlemen standing beside it. One of the men had to be the largest human being that Kylah had ever encountered in her life.

"Ward! Kiros!" Squall greeted them. "Didn't expect such a welcoming party."

"The President insisted," Kiros replied. "He would have come himself, but…well… we wouldn't let him."

Ward nodded in agreement.

"This is my partner, Kylah Deraldi," Squall gestured toward her.

"It's a pleasure," she offered her hand. Both men accepted her offer of a handshake.

"Shall we?" Kiros gestured toward the vehicle. Kylah and Squall both followed their escorts.

"The big guy doesn't talk very much," Kylah observed in a whisper to Squall.

"He can't," Squall whispered back. "He was injured in battle many years ago, and hasn't been able to speak since."

"Oh," was the only response Kylah could come up with.

* * *

"This place is amazing!" Kylah said a little while later as she followed Kiros and Ward down the corridors of the Presidential Palace toward the president's office. She was completely enthralled by the architecture and atmosphere of Esthar.

"It is a beautiful place," Kiros agreed. "I was awestruck with this place the first time I saw it almost 25 years ago. Here we are!" he said, opening the door to Laguna's office.

Kylah caught her first glimpse of the famous Laguna Loire. Her first thought was that Selphie was right: he was incredibly handsome. He had longish dark hair that stubbornly insisted in falling over his forehead, the back of it pulled up into a casual ponytail. His deep green eyes sparkled mischievously. Her second thought was that Quistis was also right: he definitely did NOT look like the typical presidential figure. Rather than a suit, he was dressed casually in jeans, a t-shirt, and a rather loud tropical-print shirt that was unbuttoned. And Sneakers. That was a nice touch.

"Welcome!" he said, gesturing excitably toward Kylah and Squall. "So glad you guys could come! Squall, good to see you again," he said offering the younger man his hand.

Almost reluctantly, Squall shook the president's hand. A twinge went through Laguna's heart as Squall's hand clasped his. Almost as soon as that twinge passed, another twinge ripped through his leg.

"Ow, ow, ow!" he cried, pulling away from Squall's handshake. He grabbed his leg, and hopped around, yelping in pain.

Kiros covered his eyes with his hand and shook his head.

Kylah looked at the president with an odd look. For starters, he looked incredibly hilarious and cute hobbling around like that. Second, maybe she had imagined it, but she thought she had seen a slight flicker of…. something cross Laguna's eyes as he shook Squall's hand.

Laguna breathed a sigh of relief as the cramp finally left his leg. He winced slightly as he caught sight of the bemused look that Squall shot him. Abruptly, Kiros kicked his shin and pointed toward Kylah.

"Oh! You must be Kylah," Laguna turned to her and flashed a smile, convincing her even more that she had imagined it. "Cid told me a lot about you. It's a pleasure to meet such a lovely lady." He appeared as if he was going to shake her hand, then acted like he might want to kiss it instead. Comically, he bounced back and forth between the two, unsure of exactly how he should handle the situation. Finally, he settled for shaking it, then reached up to scratch the back of his head with an impish and embarrassed smile.

Oh, yes. Quistis was right. He was most certainly charming, in his own unique way…

"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. President," she replied with a slight chuckle.

"Please, call me Laguna. Mr. President, Mr. Loire…. All titles that sound stuffy, and make me sound old."

"Excuse me," a soft voice interrupted from the doorway. "I hate to interrupt, but I wanted to say hi."

Everyone turned to see who the newcomer was. Kylah noted that Squall's eyes brightened at the sight of the lovely woman standing across the room.

"Squall!" she cried, joyously. She flew at him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Hey, Sis," he replied, returning her hug. "Good to see you."

"It's been entirely too long," Ellone responded, sternly. "How is my niece?"

"Cass? She's good. Inquisitive. Bright. Active. Curious. Keeps everyone on their toes."

A lump formed in Laguna's throat as he listened to Squall describe the youngest Leonhart. Squall's daughter.

Kylah considered the Laguna as she looked him over. She thought she had seen that flicker again. Or had she?

"Well, you guys must be tired," he interrupted the exchange between Squall and Ellone. "I'll have Kiros show you to your suite."

"Suite?" Squall asked, sounding like the term was spoken in a foreign language.

"Suite. I thought it would be easier if you had a suite with a private common room. That way you could discuss…whatever you SeeD's talk about during a mission. Without any of my multitudes of bodyguards listening in all the time."

Kylah and Squall exchanged a look. "Well, I guess that will be alright…" Squall didn't sound so sure about sharing quarters with Kylah.

"Excellent! Kiros, if you would be so kind…"

"Certainly. Right this way."

Kylah and Squall grabbed their duffels and followed Kiros back down the corridor.

"Tell me," Kylah addressed Kiros as they walked, "is the president always like that."

Kiros sighed. "You get used to it after a while."

* * *

"This isn't so bad," Kylah commented a little while later as she looked around the suite that she and Squall were to share. It had two bedrooms separated by a large sitting room that contained three couches, two chairs, a desk, and a coffee table. A small kitchenette was off of the back of the room. The bedrooms held two beds a piece, and each had it's own private bathroom. "At least we'll have our own space."

Squall grunted in reply, staring out a window over the city.

She tried a different approach. "You miss Cass?" she inquired.

A shrug.

Giving up entirely, she announced. "Laguna told us to use the rest of the day to settle in, so I think I'll go take a look around the city. You need anything while I'm out?"

Another shrug.

"Okay. Catch you later." And then she left.

Squall closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief when Kylah exited the suite. He never would understand the female need for incessant chatter and small talk. Leaving his place at the window, he sauntered over to the couch and sank down onto it to enjoy the blessed silence.

Kylah had been right about one thing: the suite that Laguna had assigned to them was very spacious and nice. Much nicer than his quarters back at Garden. He had been a little hesitant about sharing quarters with Kylah, but maybe this would be okay.

He would stay in his room, and hopefully Kylah would stay in hers. He would have his peaceful space, and she would have her own. She would stay in her own room. Sleeping. And being quiet for once in her life.

He groaned as he sank down onto the couch and rubbed his eyes with his open hand. What on Earth was Cid thinking, sending Kylah along with him. Maybe she was a brilliant negotiator, but….

One thing was for sure: this was going to be a long mission.

* * *

Author's Note: This was a really short chapter, but don't get too attached to things being short. Later chapters will be quite a bit longer! 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – The Heat of Battle

The dual edged sword spinning round her head and body, Kylah gracefully stepped out into a pivot, then brought her blade back against an invisible enemy. She then brought the sword back for a parry, followed by another attack.

Squall watched her with interest. She wore a tight black tank top and matching workout pants, revealing long lean muscle on her arms and abs. Her auburn hair was pulled up into a curly ponytail. Carefully, she went through the motions of practicing with her weapon. He had to admit; her fluid motions and graceful style impressed him. She would be a difficult opponent in battle.

"Nice," he commented, pulling her out of her imaginary battle. She looked startled, then relaxed when she realized who was addressing her.

She shrugged. "I figured I'd get some practice time in while I had time. The training center at Garden is better for this sort of thing, but I figured this," she gestured around at the empty shuttle bay that she had commandeered, "would do for now."

Squall unholstered the gunblade at his hip, and brought it up to tap over his shoulder. "Interested in fighting a real opponent for a change."

A considering look crossed her face. "Spar? With you?" she asked, picking up a bottle of water to take a swig.

"I need to practice too."

She grinned. "You're on."

Squall shrugged out of his jacket and dropped it on the floor next to a sweatshirt that she had discarded. Kylah nearly choked on her water as she caught sight of his broad chest clad only in a thin t-shirt that left little to the imagination. Good Hyne, the man was well built.

Squall leaned forward on his gunblade, the tip piercing slightly into the floor. He motioned for Kylah to ready herself battle.

Tossing aside her water, Kylah strode with confidence to a position a few feet away from Squall. She spun the weapon from her side with one hand and put it at head-level, holding the handle with both hands, feet planted firmly, shoulder-width apart.

Squall nodded as she took her stance. Picking up his weapon, he easily hefted the weight with both hands. The handle and weight were both soothing and familiar to his hands. While the weight of the weapon often made it unwieldy to many who tried to use it, Squall found the weight added to his overall strength and combat prowess.

Kylah drew in a final preparatory breath, but never had a chance to finish it. Squall leapt forward with amazing speed and agility. Quickly reversing her stance, she brought her weapon into a 90-degree parry. She regretted her chosen defense as soon as the weapons met with a loud clang. His gunblade was much heavier than her swords and the impact sent her reeling. Landing rather unceremoniously on her backside, she rolled to the side to avoid the following kick from the first attack.

"That thing is a lot heavier than I thought it would be," she muttered under her breath as she flexed her left shoulder. The impact had bloody well nearly dislocated her arm from its socket.

Squall's reply was a silent shrug as he turned, again, bringing his gunblade to bear against her. "You're supposed to know your opponent's weapon and what it is capable of," he said in a tone that was very much master to student.

Kylah narrowed her eyes and leveled her blade in front of her. His patronizing tone only infuriated her. Squall sighed at her stance, noting that her grasp in the middle of the blade was exposed to him. Again, he flew at her with amazing speed, bringing his weapon down in an arc aimed at the middle of her blades.

Anticipating his attack, she rapidly sidestepped the attack as he went airborne, leaving a stunned Squall swinging at air. She spun her weapon in a massive circle, throwing her entire weight into the attack. Although the initial move had caught him off guard, Squall recovered amazingly quickly. He brought his blade around on his left side, fending off the broad side of her swallow, then reversed it yet again to block an attack on the opposite side.

Kylah realized that her side-to-side attacks were only keeping her opponent on the defensive, and she didn't stand the slightest chance of getting through. Changing her tactics, she spun the weapon behind her, bringing it against the inside of the Gunblade and knocking it to the side. She followed the motion with her weight, throwing her right foot into the air and catching her opponent directly in the cheek below his right eye.

While the attack was far from deadly, Squall took it rather personally. Only Zell had ever managed to best him in a fight (once), and that had been a fluke. His adrenaline began to flow with renewed vigor as he assumed a much more aggressive stance, waiting to see what she would do next.

Kylah's successful attack filled her with confidence like never before. Squall Leonhart's fighting abilities were legendary in Balamb Garden. If she were to beat him….

Narrowing her eyes, she pressed the attack, spinning her sword at Squall, again, but disconnecting the hilt of the swallow into two blades. "_Let's see him handle an attack from both sides,_" she thought, smugly.

"Overconfident," was all she heard as Squall performed the most outlandish maneuver she had ever seen. As her weapons approached from both sides, Squall ducked to the left, throwing his blade over his right shoulder like a type of shield. Kylah's right weapon flew over his head and her left sword merely impacted against his defensive maneuver. Swinging the gunblade up and reversing his left hand against it, Squall grasped both of Kylah's arms with his right, lunging into her with all his weight. Before she could even hope to recover, his left foot was behind her right and she was flying towards the cement floor in the most undignified manner.

The impact on her head, combined with the abrupt absence of air in her lungs, was mind numbing. Instincts took over, however, and she rolled to the side, delivering a nasty kick to Squall's rib cage. Although a very skilled last second attack, it merely produced a startled grunt from her foe as he stood up to face her.

Squall's face seemed to relax and his mouth shot a lopsided grin at her. "Ready to give up, yet?" he taunted before his expression took on its usual sullen appearance.

Kylah felt like her blood was about to boil right out of her veins. She had finally caught a glimpse of Squall Leonhart grinning, but it was at her total humiliation. With an enraged cry that brought to mind Ifrit on a bad day, she ran forward, swinging both weapons in a repeated figure 8 attack against her sparring partner.

The attack, while incredibly vicious, was by no means unpredictable. Squall had studied swallow swords. The figure 8 attack was the most basic of the attacks taught by the masters. He held out his gunblade directly in front of him while slowly backing away, keeping the attacks well out of range from himself.

What he didn't expect, however, was the oil drum that was lying behind him. With one misplaced step, he found himself flailing wildly into the air and falling backwards, despite his best efforts to stay airborne. Kylah smirked as she jumped into the air, leveling her swallows below her foot and driving it towards his chest. Squall managed to get his weapon between his chest and her swords, but the impact drove the handle of his weapon hard into his chest, the business end landing between his legs and nearly making his weekend miserable in general.

Squall gasped a ragged breath as Kylah shifted her weight, remaining perfectly balanced atop of his gunblade, supported by her swords that were now on either side of his chest. Using all his might, Squall kicked hard with his left leg, landing the toe of his boot directly into her gluteus maximus and throwing her off balance. Kylah fell forward, ducking her head and trying to get her weapons untangled to use in some sort of defense against a certain attack. The anticipated rebuttal never came, though, as Squall was slow recovering from her last impact. He held his chest in obvious pain from her weight driving the revolver of his weapon into his ribcage.

Concerned, Kylah called out to him, "Are you hurt? Do we need to stop?"

In answer to her question, Squall merely stood upright and shook his head. He narrowed his eyes and leveled the gunblade at Kylah, again. He had beaten Seifer, had bested every other training partner, and had even defeated the Sorceress Ultimecia. There was no way he was going to loose to this pint-sized upstart.

Kylah was slightly impressed at his ability to take a licking and keep on ticking. Determined to keep the advantage, she flew forward, bringing both weapons over her head and into a vertical attack towards his head, anticipating that it was the hardest surface on his body, and the least likely to be damaged. Squall had attempted to calm his emotions, though, and tried to react with logic, rather than emotion. Rather than block the attack, he merely stepped into her swing arc, rendering the attack completely useless, while allowing him to throw his shoulder into her side.

Kylah jerked hard to the side, hearing her neck pop as her body jarred from the impact. She landed on her feet, though, and quickly put up her weapons to redirect the blade that was now thrusting towards her. Using her weapons to push the larger blade to her side, she spun off of Squall's body, throwing an elbow into the back of his head for good measure. As she tried to establish some distance between them, however, Squall spun around, swinging the blade into her opposite side.

Cursing her luck, Kylah had to parry the weapon dead-on, and was slammed backwards from the impact, again. Squall was trying to push the advantage, but she would not have anything of it. She jumped forward, crossing her weapons to strike in a pincer style attack.

Squall was too quick, however, as he thrust his blade between hers, then used his superior weight to throw her backwards. Determined not to let him get the last laugh with this attack, Kylah released her weapons and grabbed onto Squall's shirt, carefully avoiding the blade end of his weapon and taking him into a wild tumble towards the concrete below. If she was going down, he was going to go with her.

Squall quickly abandoned his weapon as they fell, realizing that either one of them could be seriously wounded if the weapon remained between them. Using his newly freed hands, he grappled with Kylah as they fell. The initial impact wasn't that bad for him, most likely because he landed on top of her.

Kylah grunted as the air rushed from her lungs a third time. Throwing all her weight to the side, she put both of them into a roll, trying to pin him to the ground. The only problem was that he had a significant weight and strength advantage on his side. Not only did she roll to where she wanted to, but they kept rolling. Once they stopped, she was neatly pinned to the ground, arms above her head and Squall Leonhart atop of her, inches from her face.

The two of them stared at one another for a long, silent moment, fire and fury burning in both of their eyes. Both were breathing hard, sweat glistening on both of their faces. Kylah could feel his muscles rippling beneath his soaked t-shirt as he fought to catch his breath. He was so close, she could see deep into his gray eyes, laced with small flecks of green.

Emotions finally calming, Squall realized exactly where he was. Kylah's chest heaved against him as she struggled to refill her lungs with air. Her long, muscular legs were tangled with his. She was utterly helpless beneath him.

Abruptly releasing her wrists, Squall scrambled to his feet, reclaimed his gunblade, picked up his jacket, then looked back down at his breathless and startled opponent. "I win," he said, gruffly. "We both have a meeting with Laguna in an hour. We'd better get cleaned up." With that, he strode quickly out of the shuttle bay toward their suite to take a shower.

Kylah sat up and drew in a deep breath as she stared after him, a dazed expression on her face. She had been beaten, but barely. Groaning, she pulled herself to her feet, reclaimed her discarded weapons, collected her belongings, and followed Squall's lead.

* * *

"So, here's the sticking points for Esthar in these negotiations."

Kylah, Squall, and Laguna were all seated around a large conference table in the Presidential Palace going over negotiation strategy for the upcoming summit. Laguna was all business as he pointed to different spots on the world map between them, going over different positions that Esthar would be taking on controversial issues in the negotiation process.

"First, Fisherman's Horizon. In recent months Esthar and FH have reached tentative motions toward reunification between us. FH is going to become a sort of colony of Esthar, but still retain its independence. We'll be supporting them, but they'll be making their own laws and regulating themselves. The goal is to make FH the start of reopening the transcontinental railroad between Esthar and Gabaldia, and hopefully opening trade routes between the two nations."

Kylah nodded as the listened intently to what the president was saying. If she were to successfully negotiate on the part of Esthar, she needed to be well informed of their stand on any issue that might come up.

"Second, the chocobo forest area of the northern part of this continent. Recently, our troops have encountered several Gabaldian troops patrolling this area. Given that this is right at our back door, we want them to withdraw from this area. Period."

Squall fought back a yawn. Political discussions, quite frankly, bored him to tears. He was more of an action first, talk later kind of guy. That was well known by anyone who had ever had any kind of contact with him. _"I wonder why Laguna wanted ME at a peace summit, then?"_ he asked himself.

"Third, and probably less important than the other two: The Shumi Village and Trabia portion of this continent. Gabaldia feels very strongly that a military force needs to be present in this area. Esthar disagrees, as this area has been without military presence for quite a long time…."

His mind wandering, Squall gradually began to tune Laguna out. He was slightly annoyed, as he was unsure why he even had to be there. Political negotiations were not his strong point. With a quiet sigh, he laced his fingers together, rested his elbows on the tabletop, and plopped his chin on top of his hands. His gaze then shifted from the map on the table to the table itself.

Struggling to keep his attention on the briefing, he studied the grain of the wooden conference table intently. After a few moments of that, he shifted his attention to the wall directly above Kylah's head.

_There's a crack in that wall,_ he observed, attention wandering even further. Next his eyes rested on a painting a few inches below the crack. _That's kinda interesting. I wonder what it's supposed to be?_ He studied the artwork for several minutes, contemplating the deep meaning that the artist was trying to convey. Giving up, he allowed his gaze to fall even further. _Kylah has some hair out of place. I wonder I should tell her? Or, is she one of those girls that just doesn't care? Hmmm… It's right there, right next to her cleavage. _He stopped, realizing where his gaze had stopped. _Why am I looking at Kylah's cleavage? _he wondered. Suddenly, he remembered their sparring match earlier, and the precarious position in which it had ended. Distinctly, he remembered that cleavage brushing against him as he had her pinned to the ground….

_Snap out of it, Squall,_ he immediately thought, quickly bringing his gaze upward. As soon as he did, he realized that Kylah was looking back at him, shooting him an annoyed look.

Cringing inwardly for being caught, Squall quickly turned his gaze back to Laguna and struggled to bring his attention back to the briefing. As soon as he caught Laguna's eye, he realized that he'd been doubly busted. Laguna was watching him, a twinkle in his green eyes as he fought back silent laughter.

"Sorry," Squall said, a bit uncomfortably. "My mind wandered."

_So did your eyes,_ Kylah silently added, wishing she had chosen a different shirt to wear to this meeting.

"That's okay," Laguna broke in. "I'm finished. Kylah can fill you in on what you missed. I'll see you guys tomorrow at the start of the meetings."

Kylah quickly gathered her belongings and fled the room. She had notes and briefings to go over in their suite before the start of the summit the next morning.

"Hey, Squall," Laguna stopped him as he started to leave the room.

"Yeah?"

"Can I offer some friendly advice?"

"Sure," he said, not entirely sure what advice Laguna could possibly have to offer him.

"If you're going to scope a girl out, first, make sure it's not so obvious. Second, make sure she doesn't catch you."

Squall flushed as a scowl crossed his face. Without a word, he left the room, obviously annoyed. Laguna sank back into his chair, and laughed until he had to clutch his aching sides and gasp for air.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – And So It Begins

Kylah lounged casually on the couch in the suite she shared with Squall, an ice pack on her bruised hip, as she looked over reports that had been sent by messenger from Laguna's office. She winced in pain as she shifted her leg, an unkind reminder of the beating her body had taken earlier that day.

Throughout the afternoon, she had seen several questioning glances thrown toward Squall as people speculated on the appearance of a rather nasty shiner beneath his right eye. Grinning, she congratulated herself on giving him such a visible reminder of the bottom of her foot.

Interrupting her reading, Squall entered the room and dropped a large stack of papers on the table in front of her. "You need to read these," he said, shortly. "They're the latest reports on Gabaldian activity sent from Laguna."

Before she even had a chance to ask him what was in the reports, he spun around and strode out of the suite. Kylah fumed as she stared at the large stack. Great. So much for free time for the evening. It would have been much easier if he had simply summarized the contents of the reports for her, as it appeared that he had already read them himself. Steam practically rolling out of her ears, she picked up the first page on the stack and began reading.

A soft knock at the door drew her attention away from the reports. "Come in!" she called, unwilling to get up and remove the cold ice from her hip.

Ellone entered the room, and peered around. "Can I come in? Or am I interrupting something important?"

"Yes, you are interrupting something important, and I'm so glad you are. Please, come in!" Kylah gestured for the other woman to have a seat on another couch.

Surveying Kylah's position, Ellone gestured toward the ice pack. "What happened?"

"I think it was repayment for the black eye that I gave Squall," she admitted, cringing.

"He hit you?" Ellone sounded stunned.

"We were sparring," Kylah explained. "It got just a tad out of hand."

"A tad?" came the reply, with a quirked eyebrow.

Looking over her hip, and remembering the bruises on her shoulder, arms, wrists, and backside, Kylah responded, "Okay, maybe more than a tad…"

Ellone chuckled. "You make it sound like you and Squall don't get along too well."

"To be perfectly honest, we really don't. I was more than a little surprised when Cid assigned us both to this mission."

"Why is that? I mean, I know Squall isn't always the most pleasant person to be around, but he's not impossible to live with."

"You couldn't prove that by me," Kylah retorted, shaking her head. "He's usually generally hostile and grouchy toward me."

"Don't take it personally," Ellone said, sympathetically. "He's had a rough time. In general, he has a hard time dealing with people."

"Oh?"

Elle took a deep breath. "You know that he grew up in an orphange?" Kylah nodded. Squall had told her as much. "I was there with him for a time. Kind of his big sister. Then I had to leave because the Sorceress Adel was looking for me. I hated to leave him all alone, but I didn't have a choice." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "It took him years to learn to trust others. Finally he met someone who taught him that it was okay to rely on someone else. To care about others. Rinoa."

Kylah nodded. She had heard about Squall's wife, and her untimely death.

"When Rinoa died, to Squall it was as if everything he had believed as a child was proven. That if he allowed himself to care about someone, they would leave, or be taken away." She paused a moment, considering. "I suppose that's why he has such a difficult time being a real father to Cass. He's afraid that, if he allows himself to care about her too much, something will happen to her."

Ellone's words tumbled around in Kylah's mind. "That's a depressing way to live," she said, finally.

"It is," Ellone agreed.

"I guess I understand him a little better. I'm still not sure how to handle him."

"You'll figure it out. The rest of us have."

* * *

Later that evening, Kylah and Squall silently sat opposite each other in their sitting room, both engrossed in reports from Laguna's office. The president was insistent that if they were going to be on his payroll that they be well informed.

Personally, Kylah thought that it just got him out of reading the reports himself.

Covertly, she stole a glance over at Squall. He was scowling at the paper in his hand as he lounged on the couch. She had a nice view of his right cheek from where she sat, and found herself feeling a little guilty for the large bruise that glared back from around his eye.

"I'm sorry I blacked your eye," she finally said, a bit sheepishly.

Squall looked up in surprise. There she was, sitting back with an ice pack resting on her hip and apologizing for injuries that she had inflicted on him? He had beaten her, and she was sorry?

"Yeah, well…" he replied, gruffly, "sorry about your hip."

She glanced down at the melting ice pack. "It's okay. I'll recover."

Laying aside her report with a sigh, Kylah addressed Squall. "Look, we need to talk."

"What about?" he asked grouchily, avoiding her gaze. He fought to keep a flush out of his cheek as he remembered the incident in the conference room that afternoon.

"We were paid, and paid well might I add, to do a job here. If we continue the way we're going, neither one of us are going to do a very good job. We're supposed to be a team, but we've barely spoken in two days, besides the fact that we nearly killed each other in what was supposed to be a friendly sparring match."

He finally raised his eyes to meet hers. "Yeah, I know."

"I proposed a truce on the train ride here, and I meant it. I'd like to up that offer, though." She took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "I'll be the first to admit that we got off to a bad start. How about we start over and try being friends for a change?"

He mulled her offer over in his mind. Friends? Yeah, he had female friends. Selphie and Quistis for starters. But, well this was different. This was Kylah. The woman who seemed to bring out the worst in him.

Maybe that was why he disliked her so much.

With a sigh, he admitted to himself that Kylah was probably right. Maybe they could be friends. Nodding his assent, he finally replied, "Okay, we'll give it a shot."

She smiled. "Good. Now, for starters, how about we discuss what we've both read in these stinkin' reports so that both of us don't have to plow through this mountain of papers."

He nodded. "Actually, I wanted to ask you a question about those reports."

"Okay, shoot."

"I noticed several places in the papers that, most likely, an Ambassador Deraldi would be attending the summit to negotiate on behalf of Gabaldia. Any relation?"

A slight scowl crept up on Kylah's face. Wrinkling her pert nose, she nodded. "Yeah. My father."

Squall nodded, assessing the situation. "Are you going to be able to negotiate with him?"

"Are you kidding? I've been negotiating with him my entire life," she scoffed, looking offended by the very idea that she couldn't hold her own.

"I mean," he retorted, "can you negotiate without letting your emotions get in the way?"

"I understand your concern," she replied, coolly. "However, I've met with Ambassador Deraldi in the political arena many times in the past few years, and have been able to successfully deal with him without any emotional entanglements."

"If you're sure," Squall responded. He made mental note to keep his eye on the situation throughout the week.

"I'm very sure," she shot back, her voice full of confidence.

* * *

Looking very distinguished and professional, Kylah and Squall both strode purposefully down the corridors of the Presidential Palace. They were each dressed in crisply pressed SeeD uniforms, which gave each of them the illusion of being calm, cool, and in charge.

The duo was following along behind Laguna, Kiros, and Ward. Laguna, much to Kylah's surprise, looked quite dashing that morning in a suit and tie. Or, he would have looked quite dashing if he weren't fidgeting, pulling at his collar, and tugging at his coat sleeves.

"I hate this thing," he was grumbling to Kiros. "Why do I have to wear this again? Wouldn't it be alright just to wear my normal stuff?"

Kiros rolled his eyes. "No way, Laguna. The Gabaldian President will be dressed accordingly. So should you."

Kylah fought back a snicker. How Laguna had ever become president of such a large nation was beyond her. He was likable enough, but the formality and ceremony that the position sometimes required just didn't suit his personality.

"Well, this is it," Laguna said with a sigh as they reached the conference room door. "Are you guys ready for this?" he addressed Squall and Kylah.

Squall merely nodded.

"Yes, sir," Kylah responded. "Ready and waiting."

"Here goes nothing!" Laguna reached up and straightened his tie. Squaring his shoulders, he opened the door to the conference room and strode in with purpose and confidence.

"President Caraway, thank you for coming. Welcome to Esthar. I trust that your visit has been pleasant so far."

Pasting a smile on her face, Kylah followed him into the room to greet them. She had to admit, she was very impressed by the, well, presidential way that Laguna carried himself into the negotiations.

Squall froze in the doorway as his eyes rested on the face of the Gabaldian president. President Caraway. It had never dawned on him that his late wife's father would naturally be attending these negotiations. He was, after all, the current president of Gabaldia. He groaned inwardly as he remembered the last meeting that he'd had with his father-in-law, on the day of Rinoa's funeral.

It hadn't been pleasant, to say the least.

"What's he doing here?" President Caraway spat out, glaring at Squall.

Laguna looked up in surprise. "Well, he's, uh, well, that is…."

"Commander Leonhart," Kylah interjected, coming to Laguna's aid, "is here at the request of President Loire for these negotiations. I suggest any personal feelings should be put aside so that we can focus on the matters at hand." She shot President Caraway a pointed look.

Caraway looked as if he might say something else, but thought better of it. He shot Squall another cold look, and then took his seat, gesturing for Laguna to do the same. It was no secret that he blamed Squall for his daughter's death. In his mind, if she had never gotten involved with Squall then she would still be alive.

Bringing the bright smile back to her face, she offered her hand to her father who stood behind President Caraway. "Ambassador Deraldi," she greeted him professionally. "Always a pleasure."

The look on the Ambassador's face reflected that he had not been aware that it would be Kylah who negotiated on behalf of Esthar. His face paled briefly, and he shakily took his daughter's hand.

"Ms. Deraldi," he acknowledged. "The pleasure is all mine."

Laguna looked back and forth between the two. "Is there something I should know, here?" he whispered to Kiros, who shrugged helplessly. He made a mental note to ask Kylah about it later.

"Now, gentlemen, we have a lot to accomplish over the next few days," Kylah began, taking a seat in the middle of the table. Both presidents sat opposite each other, each adjacent to the side that Kylah now occupied. Deciding to keep his distance from the actual negotiations, Squall crossed his arm and leaned against the wall near the door. "Let's get down to business."

* * *

"Have you lost your mind?" Laguna fumed, throwing a stack of papers back on the conference room table. "Esthar would get screwed five different ways in that agreement, and none of them in a fun way!"

"What President Loire is trying to say," Kylah interrupted, shooting Laguna a dirty look, "is that these terms are unacceptable to the Estharian government, as they feel that Gabaldia would be the only one benefiting from this agreement."

She paused, rubbing her temples with her fingertips. "Gentlemen, we've been at this table for several hours now, and really have not accomplished very much. My suggestion is that we table negotiations for the day and pick back up tomorrow when we're all feeling more fresh and alert."

"Fine by me," Laguna responded. "I'm ready to throw in the towel for the day."

"I agree," replied Caraway. "Maybe it is time for a break." He stood, taking Kylah's hand to shake it. "Ms. Deraldi, always a pleasure." Next, he shook Laguna's hand. "President Loire." With a final parting glare in Squall's direction, Caraway turned on his heel and led his advisors out of the room toward their guest suite.

"Kylah, I shall see you tomorrow," Ambassador Deraldi addressed her, nodded to the remainder of the room, and then followed his president out of the room.

Once they had left, Kylah dropped her aching head into her arms on the table.

"Hey, you okay?" Laguna asked, rubbing her shoulder with concern.

Raising her head, she peered at him with a frustrated look. "You know, negotiating a peace treaty between Shiva and Ifrit would be easier than trying to get the two of you to agree on something."

Laguna scratched the back of his neck and looked at her sheepishly.

"Oh, don't give me that 'aw-shucks' routine. You're paying me to negotiate a treaty between your two countries. If BOTH parties don't cooperate, it's going to be very difficult for me to accomplish my mission objectives."

"Okay, okay," he relented. "I'll try to be more…accommodating tomorrow."

"Thank you." She stood, stretching out tired muscles as she did so.

"So, uh, what's the deal between you and the friendly Ambassador," Laguna asked. "I mean, you do have the same last name and all…."

Kylah sighed. She'd been prepared for that question. "Ambassador Deraldi is my father," she explained. "We are not on good terms, however, and don't often speak. Rest assured that this will not affect my ability to negotiate successfully on behalf of Esthar."

"I wasn't worried," Laguna assured her. "I think you proved today that you can be a tough cookie when you need to be."

She chuckled. "Thanks. I'm going to head to my suite now, and take a hot bath. Something tells me I'm going to need all the relaxation I can find this week." With that, she collected her paperwork, and strode out of the room.

* * *

A while later, Kylah lay cozily on the couch in her suite, a cool cloth over her eyes in an attempt to relieve her pounding head. She had spent over an hour in a hot, relaxing bath, and was now clad in a comfortable blue satin nightgown and matching robe, fuzzy slippers covering her bare feet.

Squall had to admit, he felt a little sorry for her after the beating she had taken that day. He was impressed with her diplomatic skills, and her ability to remain calm in the negotiation room; however, even he could see where the dueling presidents and combative Gabaldian ambassador would wear on even the strongest of nerves.

"Here," he said, stepping up to the side of the couch. He held out both hands, offering her two aspirin and a glass of water. "This will help."

"Bless you," she responded in thanks, gratefully accepting his offering. She gulped down the pills, and then lay back against the couch cushions and recovered her eyes. "Do I really have to go back tomorrow?" she asked at length.

Squall shrugged. "I guess so."

She groaned. "In a way, I was hoping that it was all just a bad dream and I'd wake up tomorrow morning far away, back in Balamb Garden in my own bed."

With a thump, Squall sunk himself down onto the cushions at the other end of the couch.

He wasn't entirely sure what made him decide to sit with her. Maybe it was because she'd had such a bad day. Or, maybe he was getting a little more comfortable with her.

Finally peeking from beneath her cloth, Kylah peered at him. "Caraway sure has it out for you, doesn't he?"

Squall snorted. "You could say that."

"What's the history?"

He hesitated, not really comfortable discussing his private life with his colleague. After a moment, he relented slightly. "He's my father-in-law. He blames me for his daughter's death."

She winced. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry…"

Shrug. "It's okay. Not a big deal."

"Are you sure?" she asked, wondering if maybe he didn't blame himself a bit for what had happened to Rinoa.

He nodded. "Yeah. I mean, it's in the past. You can't change the past. Why dwell on it?"

It seemed to her that he dwelled on the past quite a bit, though maybe not consciously. She chose to side step that one. Sitting up, she rested her arms and her cheek against the back of the couch so that she could look at him a bit better. "Did you ever find out why Laguna wanted you on this mission?"

A slightly confused look crossed his face. "No, I didn't. I would say to back you up, but really you seem perfectly capable of handling yourself without help."

"Thanks," she replied, sincerely.

"Maybe he just wanted some SeeD visibility during negotiations. Let President Caraway know that he means business."

Kylah considered that possibility. "No," she finally said, "that doesn't seem like Laguna's style. He's bound to have a reason, just isn't choosing to share it yet."

Squall shrugged. "Who knows? Who cares? He wanted me here, and he's got me here."

"Don't you ever want to know why things happen?" Kylah asked him.

"Always asking 'why' complicates life too much," he responded, lounging against the back of the couch.

"Maybe life was meant to be complicated," she countered.

"Life's complicated enough without adding to it," he shot back.

A smile curved her lips. "Maybe so," she agreed. "But it sure does make things more interesting."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Keep Your Poker Face

"Mr. Ambassador, precisely why does Galbadia feel that they need to establish a military presence so close to the Estharian border? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it was my understanding that the purpose of these negotiations was to establish peace between the two nations. If Galbadia trusts Esthar enough to sign a treaty with them, why do you feel that you need military force on Esthar's back door? That does raise some concerns."

Squall had to admit, Kylah was definitely holding her own at the conference table. The fact that she was negotiating with her own father didn't seem to phase her. He could see that, as far as Kylah was concerned, she was dealing with just another ambassador. He was someone to be dealt with, negotiated with, and, apparently, nailed to the wall.

"The Galbadia military was merely surveying the area, trying to get the lay of the land," Ambassador Deraldi responded. "The forest area on the northern part of the continent is undeclared and unclaimed territory. We simply wanted to investigate the possibilities in the area."

Kylah chose her response carefully. "So, what you are telling me is that the nation of Galbadia wanted to investigate the possibility of expanding its borders and claim an area that would put it in a strategic position close to the Estharian border? You are saying that the Galbadian government is willing to go into a peace treaty with a nation that it doesn't fully trust?"

Laguna could only sit back and watch Kylah at work, admiration reflected on his face. Silently, he thanked Cid for sending her along on this mission. Never before had he seen anyone so smoothly put one a top ambassador and the president of one of the world's largest nations squarely in their respective places.

"That was certainly not our intent," the ambassador was quick to rush to the defense of his country. "We merely wanted to see precisely what resources could be exploited in that particular area—"

"In other words, you wanted to exploit resources that, by rights, should belong to the Estharian government. If any country should have rights to this area, it should be the country that is in closest vicinity. Don't you agree?"

Laguna struggled violently against a snicker that threatened to fly out of his lips. He watched the Galbadian ambassador and president shot each other exasperated looks. They attempted to silently confer with one another, without giving Kylah the satisfaction of listening in on their conversation. Taking pity on them, Laguna entered the conversation. "Gentlemen, I think it's time we close negotiations for the day. We still have two days to resolve these conflicts. It's very late, so I suggest that we close for the day and retire. We can all pick back up in the morning."

With relieved expressions, the Galbadian representatives agreed and excused themselves from the table.

"Awww, why'd you let them go?" Kylah asked, once she was sure they were safely out of earshot. "I had them right where I wanted them!"

The chuckle that had been building in Laguna's throat finally escaped. "I had to take pity on them sometime. We need them in one piece so they can function enough to actually sign the treaty in a couple days."

Kylah reluctantly agreed. "Okay. I still have two days to finish with them."

Squall shook his head. "I almost feel sorry for them."

Kiros stood nearby, a puzzled expression on his face. "Can someone please tell me _why_ they would want that miserable piece of land?"

Laguna shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe they want to raise chocobos or something."

Kylah snorted. "Yeah, the Galbadian economy is suffering so much that they have to supplement their income by the import of chocobos."

"Okay, maybe they just want to irritate me!"

"It appears that they're doing a good job, Mr. President," Kylah shot him a sweet smile.

"On THAT note," Laguna shot her a look, "I'm going to my suite for the night. See you guys tomorrow."

* * *

Squall sat in the silent suite that he shared with Kylah, leaned over the laptop that he had brought with him from Balamb Garden. His brow furrowed as he read over an e-mail that Cid had sent him that afternoon. The message was full of updates from Garden, and of Cass, who apparently missed her father a great deal.

An abrupt squeal from Kylah's room pulled his attention away from the screen. Kylah, clad in a t-shirt and warm-up pants came flying out of her room, a piece of paper in her hands. With a whoop, she jumped on the couch beside him a huge grin on her face.

"They agreed to withdraw!" she exclaimed, holding up the paper. "It just came across the fax machine. The Galbadian ambassador sent a message stating that Galbadia would agree to withdraw all military presence from the forests just north of the Estharian border."

Squall closed his laptop and laid it on the coffee table in front of him. He looked over at Kylah, whose cheeks were flushed with excitement. Her hair was a tousled mess, and all traces of the makeup that she wore to the negotiation table had been scrubbed from her face. The contrast was striking. The cool, crisp, polished negotiator versus the excited, fresh, pretty woman before him.

Pretty? Had he really thought her attractive? Squall closed his eyes briefly, and fought against the image that flashed through his head, once again, of her pinned helplessly beneath him only two days earlier.

"I don't know how you do it," was what came out of his mouth. "How do you talk for hours on end, and accomplish something like that?"

She chuckled. "It's not that hard. Besides, you hate talking for more than five minutes at a stretch. I can see why you wouldn't like my job."

He nodded in agreement. "True. But, I also don't see how talking accomplishes anything. It seems, to me, that action seems to get more results. Sometimes talking doesn't work."

Kylah considered his statement. "I agree, to a point. Talking doesn't always work. When you reach that point, it's time for more…aggressive negotiations."

Squall raised an eyebrow. "Aggressive negotiations?"

She smiled devilishly at him. "Why do you think I chose to become a SeeD? If they won't listen," she wiggled her eyebrows, "make them listen."

He shook his head and chuckled. "That's an interesting attitude to have."

Her eyes widened in shock. She pressed a hand to her chest in mock horror. "What's this? An actual _laugh_ from Squall Leonhart."

An offended look crossed his face. "I know how to have fun," he said, defensively.

"Now that I don't believe."

"Why not?" he asked.

Kylah considered her answer. "You always look so serious." She screwed her face up into a frown as if to imitate him. "I don't think I've ever seen you really smile."

A sigh escaped his lips as he sat back against the couch cushions. "I haven't had a whole lot to smile about."

"Sure you do," she argued. "You have a beautiful daughter, a job that you love, and were married to a wonderful woman who adored you, or so I've been told."

"The key word there is 'were,'" he said, evenly.

She gazed at him for a long minute. "You know, you said on the train that there's no point in dwelling on the past. Yet, from where I'm standing, you dwell on it every day. You're so afraid of being hurt again that you shut yourself down to the point that you don't enjoy any aspect of life. That has to be a miserable way to live."

Gathering her courage, she leaned in closer and gazed directly into his eyes, just inches away. "Yes, you've been hurt. And you lost someone very dear to you. But do you really think that Rinoa would want you to spend the rest of your life wallowing in self-pity and misery? Don't you think that she would want you, and Cass, to be happy again? Rinoa's life ended, not yours. If she really loved you as much as it seems that she did, I would think that she would want you to get on with your life and stop living your life in the past."

Abruptly, she stood and stretched. "Now, I'm going to go call Laguna and let him know about this latest development in the negotiation process. Then I'm going to bed. I'll see you tomorrow." With that, she turned, walked into her room, and closed the door.

Squall could only stare after her. He really wanted to be angry with her. Partly because she'd had the nerve to say those things to him.

Mostly, because he realized with a sinking feeling that she was right.

* * *

"It looked like you guys accomplished a lot today."

Kylah, glasses resting on her pert nose, looked up from the notes that she had taken during that day's negotiations at the sound of Squall's voice. He'd been exceptionally quiet all day, and he had startled her.

"Yeah, we really did," she agreed. "We have a few final details to go over tomorrow morning, and then the treaty should be ready for signing the day after."

"Good," Squall grunted, relieved that it was nearly over.

Laying her notes aside, Kylah looked at him with sympathy. "You're bored, aren't you?"

He flopped down on the couch opposite her, and sighed deeply. "I'll survive."

"Maybe. But this really isn't your cup of tea."

"I won't argue with that," he responded, mildly.

Kylah looked thoughtful for a moment. "I've had enough talk about work," she finally said. "Let's do something to relax."

Squall gave her an odd look. "…..Whatever."

"No, seriously! What do you do to unwind?"

His only response was to continue to give her that annoying look.

"I know! You play poker! Every week, with Zell and Irvine!"

"How did you know about that?" he asked. "I thought those were secret."

"What-ever! Everyone knows about that."

He mulled that over in his mind. "Even Selphie?"

"Of course."

A laugh threatened to escape his lips. Poor Irvine. He really thought he had the girl fooled.

"Do you have any cards?" Kylah asked.

Squall shook his head as if to clear it. "_YOU_ know how to play poker?"

She grinned. "Who do you think taught Irvine? Five card stud or draw?"

"….Whatever."

* * *

They sat on the floor opposite each other, the coffee table between them. Both Kylah and Squall were intently studying the cards they held in their hands.

Actually, Kylah was pretending to study her hand. In actually, she was studying Squall through the fringe of her lashes. Part of being a good negotiator was being able to read people. Squall was good, she would give him that. He had an excellent poker face. There were, however, small telltale signals that he gave off depending on the type of hand he had.

Squall, for his part, was beginning to get nervous. Kylah was good. Very good. Zell could never play with her. He wondered how on Earth Irvine ever had.

"Well?" Kylah asked at length, a challenging look in her eyes and a small smug smile teasing the corners of her lips.

He glared back at her, then looked his hand over one more time. She was nearly impossible to read. Finally reaching a decision, he replied, "I call."

Her face finally giving way to that smile, Kylah placed her cards one at a time face-up on the table.

Squall groaned. "A pair of 8's and a pair of 10's? All I had was a pair of sixes."

Doing a small victory dance as she collected the cards, Kylah flashed him her brightest smile. "Care to go again?"

"You already have half of my next paycheck! What more do you want?"

"The other half?"

He had to chuckle. "Forget it Deraldi."

She shrugged casually. "Oh well. Can't blame a girl for trying."

"…Whatever." Squall reached out to collect his deck of cards.

Muscles aching from sitting in the floor so long, Kylah stretched her arms up over her head in an attempt to loosen them. As she did so, her shirt rode up from the bottom revealing her flat, sculpted stomach.

Squall nearly sprayed her with the water he was sipping. Choking, he gasped for breath. For the third time that day alone, he was assaulted with the image of Kylah, pinned beneath him a few days ago.

Kylah was not oblivious to his reaction. She fought back a laugh, and gave him a coy smile. "So, what's on your agenda for tomorrow?" she asked, attempting to change the subject.

"What? Huh?" Squall sputtered. "I thought we were negotiating?"

"We are, in the morning," she replied, patiently. "Negotiations end at noon, remember? The presidential dinner and ball are tomorrow night. To celebrate the anniversary of the defeat of Adel?"

He groaned. He had conveniently forgotten about that small detail of their assignment. Laguna had asked the two of them to attend as presidential "guests." Outwardly, they would merely be guests of the president. They would also be there to see to Laguna's personal security, should the need arise.

"I guess you can't handle that one on your own?" he looked at her pleadingly.

"Not a chance," she shot back. "You're going. Like it or not."

Heaving a big sigh, Squall nodded. He absolutely hated stuff like this.

"Look at it this way," Kylah said. "You're getting all afternoon off. Go do something fun."

"What are you going to do?"

"Ellone asked me to go shopping with her. She hasn't found a dress yet for the ball."

"Why did she ask you to go?"

She shrugged. "Possibly because you don't know a thing about dresses?"

"Good point," he conceded. "I'm going to bed."

"Night!" she called out gaily. She leaned back against the couch with a small grin. Tomorrow night just might prove to be interesting after all.

* * *

Kylah rolled over sleepily and peered at the clock by her bed. Groaning, she pulled the covers up over her head.

_Three in the morning_, she thought. _Why don't I sleep better when I'm away from home?_

With a sigh, she climbed out of bed, pulled on the robe she had left lying on a nearby chair, and started for the door. Her throat was parched, and she needed a drink.

She pattered softly into the kitchenette and found a glass, then filled it with water. Tiptoeing over to the window, she pulled aside the curtain and gazed out over the sleeping city of Esthar.

The view from the Presidential Palace was amazing. Her breath was nearly stolen by the sight of the lights and glass of the city, even at night. Maybe more so at night. Most of the city's residents were sleeping, but one could still see lights and movements, even at this late hour.

Kylah was so wrapped up in the sight of the city below that she jumped when she heard a noise from across the room. Startled, she dropped her glass, splashing water down the front of her robe. Reaching into the pocket of her robe, her fingers quickly found the hilt of the dirk she always kept on her, and braced herself for action.

Her gaze came to rest on an equally startled Squall, who was exiting his own room. His dark hair was sleep-tousled, and he had pillow creases on his cheek. She quickly sucked in her breath when she realized that he was clad only in a pair of sleep pants. The sight of his bare chest and arms filled her mind with memories of those arms holding her helpless beneath him as fire roared through his grey eyes.

Squall nodded toward her dirk, which was still pointing in his direction. "You'd kill a man who wanted a drink in the middle of the night?"

She flushed, though she could not have said if it was from the images in her mind, or the embarrassment of the water on her robe. "Um, no. I was just, um, startled. Here, let me, ah, get you some…water that is."

"I think I can handle that much," he assured her. Filling his own glass, he stepped over to the window to see what she was looking at. Leaning over her shoulder, he surveyed, the city. "Looks quiet down there."

Warmth crept up into Kylah's cheeks at his nearness. She was ever so thankful for the darkness of the room. "Uh, yeah. It does. That's good, right?" She turned to look up at him, pulling away slightly.

Squall felt strands of her hair brush against his cheek as she jumped away. He turned to look at her, and found himself only inches from her face. Moonlight through the window splashed against her face, revealing a warm blush in her cheeks. A soft scent of something light and fruity teased his nostrils. Somehow, his gaze turned down toward her full lips. Now it was his turn to flush. Abruptly, he pulled away as quickly as if he had been burned. "Um, yeah. Quiet is good." Quickly, he gulped down his water. "I'm, er, finished. I'm going to bed, now. I mean, back to bed."

Nodding quickly in agreement, Kylah placed her glass in the sink and fairly sprinted to her own bedroom. She practically slammed the door closed, tossed her robe back across the chair, and dove into her bed for safety.

Burying her head under the pillows, she groaned. She could have kicked herself for acting like such an idiot. _Smooth, Deraldi. Real smooth._

Rolling over, Kylah stared up at the ceiling and contemplated the scene that she had just fled. Okay, so he had a great body. A fantastic body, at that. That didn't change the fact that he was an emotionally repressed jerk.

Or was he? She had to admit, Squall had been a lot nicer to her the past few days. Opening up a bit. Even joking around with her. What had changed? They had become comrades, friends even. She had even found herself having fun with him at times.

She let out a deep sigh and snuggled down beneath the covers in an attempt to settle down for the night. Silently, she prayed that her mind would stop thinking of Squall Leonhart and would eventually settle down for sleep.

On the other side of the suite, Squall was tossing and turning restlessly in his own bed. A thousand images seemed to tumble through his mind as he struggled to go back to sleep. Kylah, speaking softly to him of a truce on the train ride to Esthar. The passion in her eyes and her voice as she argued with Ambassador Deraldi and President Caraway at the negotiation table. The teasing light in her eyes as she sent a gentle jibe toward Laguna during strategy sessions. The way she had thrown her head back and laughed while playing poker with him earlier in the evening.

Of course, she wasn't perfect. He recalled the annoying way she stuck her nose where it didn't belong in regards to Cassidy. Of course, there was also the patient, caring way that she had dealt with Cass. Then again, she loved to argue and push his buttons until he blew up at her. Thinking of that was a mistake, because it brought to mind the fury in her blue eyes as she battled him in their sparing match, the way her muscles flexed under her workout clothes, and how surprisingly delicate she had felt pinned beneath him in the cargo bay….

With a frustrated cry, Squall sprang up out of bed and began pacing. He had to sleep, he knew that much. Somehow, he doubted that sleep would come now. Anger seeped up to the surface, though he wasn't quite sure whom, exactly, he was angry with. Needing something to take his frustrations out on, he abruptly pulled his fist back and connected it with a nearby wall.

He immediately regretted that maneuver. Pain exploded through his fist. More frustrated than ever, Squall flopped back into bed. His fist hurting, his head whirling, and his body betraying him, he struggled to fall into a miserable sleep.

* * *

"Gentlemen, it has been a pleasure. I believe that we can call these last few days a complete success."

The group of weary negotiators sat around the table in the conference room congratulating one another. The completed treaty lay in the center of the table. Both parties would be signing it tomorrow afternoon at a major, international press conference.

Laguna offered his hand to President Caraway. "Mr. President, I look forward to opportunities to meet with you in the future."

Caraway smiled in return. "As do I. This has been a most pleasurable visit, President Loire.

Kylah sat back in her chair, a satisfied smile on her face. They had done it. Somehow, they had negotiated a treaty that was satisfactory to both countries. She could scarcely believe it. She surveyed the room, mentally taking note of the part that each person had played in the outline of the treaty.

As she looked around, her gaze brushed past Squall, who had taken his usual place in a nearby corner away from the conference table. He was watching her. Her eyes met his for a brief moment, but she quickly looked away. She flushed, not quite sure how to feel about it.

_Well,_ Squall thought to himself, _at least I'm not the only one._

Abruptly, she stood and addressed Laguna, Caraway, Ambassador Deraldi, Kiros and Ward. "Gentlemen, it truly has been a pleasure. Let's all enjoy an afternoon off. I think we've earned it. I'll see you all tonight!"

* * *

"Elle, are you sure about this?"

Kylah surveyed herself in a three-way mirror in one of the small dress shops in Esthar. She tugged a bit at the skirt of the dress. It did hang well, and complimented her blue eyes and red hair. The dress was very simple. Midnight blue silk clung to her curves, fitting just a bit looser around her legs to allow movement for dancing, and was slit on one side right up to just above her knee. It was sleeveless, it's straps tied at the top of her shoulders. A plunging neckline revealed just enough cleavage to be tempting.

"It looks fantastic on you," Ellone observed. She had chosen her dress a few moments ago, a becoming gown of cream satin with capped sleeves and a high waist. It was soft, feminine and very demure. Quite different from Kylah's dress. "It will definitely catch a lot of male attention."

She nearly hesitated on that point. After the previous night's encounter, Kylah wasn't sure she wanted any more male attention. "I'm not sure…"

"Oh, come on," Ellone persisted. "It's a beautiful dress, and it looks stunning on you."

"Okay," Kylah finally relented. "But if I'm going to buy this dress, I'm going to have to take care of some other issues, as well." Turning, she faced Ellone and gave her a bright smile. "Take me to your manicurist."


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: And finally, we begin to get into the meat of the story!

* * *

Chapter 7 – Dancing Around the Truth

"Kylah? We're going to be late!" Squall called through the door to her bedroom. He was beginning to get impatient. They had agreed to walk to the presidential dinner and ball together, but if she wasn't ready soon he was going to leave without her.

"Ready!" she called gaily as the opened the door to her room.

Squall's heart stopped as soon as he saw her.

Her deep auburn hair was done up in a becoming twist, leaving out only her bangs and a few soft tendrils next to her cheek. The midnight blue dress clung to every curve. Her already bright blue eyes seemed even brighter that night, and the light seemed to catch every highlight of her silky hair.

"Wha-- What is THAT?" he asked, gesturing to her dress.

She smiled sweetly at him. "It's half of your next paycheck," she quipped, referring to their game of poker from the night before.

"I thought… I mean… Weren't you…" Squall struggled to speak. "I uh, thought you were, er, going to wear, that is, I thought we were both going to wear our, um, uniforms. SeeD uniforms."

"That's what you get for thinking," she replied, lightly. "Ellone talked me into buying this while we were shopping this afternoon.

"A-are you sure that's…appropriate for a SeeD?"

"It's appropriate to wear to a presidential ball," she responded, patiently. "Look, I've been working hard all week helping Laguna with negotiations and looking out for his personal security. I thought I'd treat myself. I don't see the harm in it."

"And where, exactly, are you going to carry a weapon under that thing?"

She gave him a defiant look. "I'm already packing. See?" She lifted her skirt slightly, pulling the slit up so that it revealed her thigh. Strapped to it was one of her dirks. "The other one is strapped to the other leg," she assured him.

Squall nearly swallowed his tongue. He struggled through his mind for a valid reason for her not to wear that dress to the ball. Try though he might, he could not come up with a mandate in the SeeD regulations that would prevent her from attending the ball out of uniform. With a shrug, he stalked out of the suite without waiting for her to catch up.

Kylah blinked as she watched him leave. _What the heck is his problem? _she wondered.

* * *

"Are you trying to ditch me, or is that just a side-effect of your sparkling personality?" Kylah asked when she finally caught up with Squall. He was just outside the door to the grand ballroom, waiting to go through the receiving line inside.

He turned and scowled at her. "No, I'm not trying to ditch you."

"Then what's your problem?" she asked, obviously annoyed.

"Nothing," he shot back, and turned away.

She stared at him a minute, contemplating firing back an equally nasty response. Figuring that she wouldn't really accomplish anything other than further alienating her mission partner, she shrugged and gave up. Realizing that they were next to enter the ballroom and go through the line, she pasted a cheerful smile on her face and stepped through the door.

"Good evening, Mr. President," she welcomed Laguna warmly.

"Laguna," he corrected her, returning her smile. "We may look formal tonight, but that doesn't mean we have to act it!"

She chuckled. "Thank you for inviting us as your guest, tonight." She gave him a silent, pointed look that assured him that security was taken care of for the night.

He nodded slightly and sent her a knowing look. "Thank _you _for coming! Squall! It's good to see you tonight, too!"

Chuckling to herself as she listened to Squall attempting to make polite small talk with Laguna, she moved on to the next person in line. "President Caraway," she greeted. "You look quite dashing tonight."

"And you look lovely, Miss Deraldi," he replied, leaning over to kiss her cheek gently.

She smiled at the compliment, then turned to the next person in line. "Ambassador, it's nice to see you –" she paused when she saw who stood next to her father. "Mother!" she cried, obvious delight in her voice.

Squall turned from his conversation with Laguna when Kylah's squeal caught his attention. Grinning happily, she hugged a striking woman who was obviously related. Mrs. Deraldi was a lovely older version of her daughter, same deep auburn curls and sparkling blue eyes.

"Hello, darling!" he mother greeted her, warmth and love in her voice.

"I had no idea you were coming!" Kylah said, pulling away to look at her mother.

"I thought I'd surprise you. You look absolutely lovely tonight, dear."

"Yes, she does," said a voice from behind Kylah. She turned slightly and found herself looking up at Laguna, who rested a hand on her shoulder and addressed her mother. "Mrs. Deraldi, your daughter has been an incredible asset to me this week. You must be proud!"

"Indeed I am," she said, smiling fondly at her only child.

"And," Laguna added, "it's easy to see where Kylah gets her stunning looks!"

"Mr. President," Kylah's mother admonished, a teasing note in her voice and a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I happen to be a happily married woman!"

"And your husband is a lucky man," Laguna replied. He winked at Kylah, then walked away to greet some of his other guests.

"So," Mrs. Deraldi said as soon as she had her daughter alone, "who is that devastatingly handsome young man?"

"What young man?" Kylah asked, confused.

"The one who has been standing in the corner staring at you for the past five minutes," her mother replied, conspiratorially.

She turned and spied Squall standing nearby, a scowl permanently on his face. Kylah returned the scowl, then turned back to her mother.

"That's my partner, Squall Leonhart."

"He's quite the looker," her mother observed. "And he has a nice set of buns."

"Mother!" Kylah was shocked.

"Just stating the obvious, dear," she replied, cheerfully as she patted Kylah's cheek. "Well, I'm off to find your father."

"Have fun," she responded with a roll of her eyes. Just as her mother stepped away, a strong hand grabbed her by the arm and pulled her off to a quieter corner of the room. "Hey!" she cried, outraged. She spun out of her abductor's grip and discovered that it was Squall who was dragging her away. "I will NOT be manhandled," she informed him, angrily.

"I thought you didn't get along with your parents," he shot back.

"I said I don't get along with my _father_," she emphasized. "Mother and I have a perfectly civil relationship."

"Yeah, well, don't forget that we're here under as Laguna's employees. Your parents are here representing Gabaldia."

Fury rose up into her throat. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It means, don't mix business with pleasure."

Kylah had enough. "That's it!" she exploded, feelings wounded. "Would you mind telling me exactly _what_ your problem is tonight?"

"Nothing," he retorted. "I'm not the one with the problem here."

"I'll beg to differ."

"Whatever," he responded, stalking off angrily.

Kylah clenched her fists up with rage as she watched him storm off. She slowly counted to ten as she fought off the urge to chase him down and knock a few of his teeth down his throat.

She gave herself a few more moments to calm her anger, then forced a smile onto her face. Whatever problem Squall had, she would not let it ruin Laguna's party or spoil her evening. _Let him have a miserable evening. I plan to enjoy myself.

* * *

_

"What crawled up your butt?"

Squall dragged his attention from the dance floor and turned to look at Ellone, who had come up to stand beside him. She was looking up at him with a questioning look on her pretty face, waiting for an answer.

"Nothing," he replied, turning back to the floor as he took a sip of his drink.

"Then why have you been sitting over in the corner all evening, glaring around the room and generally being as personable as a cactuar?"

"I'm not."

"Yes you are," she argued. She paused and followed his gaze. "Why are you angry with Kylah? Did you guys have a fight?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"What about," she pressed, not willing to let him off so easily.

He thought over their conversation. "I dunno."

She stood beside him and watched Kylah as she twirled smoothly around the dance floor with Laguna. The two of them were deep in conversation about something. Whatever it was, it must have been funny as Kylah abruptly threw her head back and laughed.

Ellone observed that Squall apparently didn't find the situation as amusing as Kylah did. Whenever she laughed so heartily, the scowl on his face deepened.

"Oh, I see. You're upset because Kylah looks absolutely stunning in that dress, and she's now dancing with her third partner of the night."

"No I'm not!" he protested, eyes never leaving the dance floor. "And it's her fourth. Not that I'm keeping track."

"Of course not," she replied, amused. So, it appeared that her "little brother" was jealous. "C'mon. Dance with me."

"What?" he asked, finally turning to look at her again. "No, I don't think so."

"I'm not giving you an option here. Put the glass down," she said, pulling it from his hand and rested it on a nearby table, "and dance with me." She grabbed Squall's hand and pulled him out on the dance floor.

Squall heaved a big sigh. He hated dancing, but he supposed he would do it for Ellone. Reluctantly, he took her hand and prepared to lead her around the floor to the sweet waltz that the band was playing.

* * *

"Everything going okay?" Laguna asked as he led Kylah around the dance floor.

She nodded in reply. "Very nicely," she said as he twirled her out, then back in. "I've been keeping my eyes peeled for problems, but haven't noticed any."

"Can I ask a question?"

"Sure," she replied as she smoothly kept up with his quick footwork.

"Where on EARTH would you keep a weapon under that dress?"

She burst out laughing. "Squall asked the same question earlier. Don't worry, I'm armed and dangerous."

He nodded, satisfied that she was ready for action if necessary. "So, what's Squall's problem tonight?"

She scowled. "I have no idea. He's been acting like that since I we left for the party tonight."

"Think he's jealous?"

A puzzled look crossed her face. "Over what?"

He spun her around. "Over the fact that you look ravishing in that dress and have danced with every man in the room but him tonight."

Kylah rolled her blue eyes. "Oh sure. Every man in the room. Please. I've danced with President Caraway, Kiros, Ward, and you."

Laguna caught Ellone's eye as she led Squall to the floor. Silently, he sent her a message. She nodded slightly to acknowledge that she understood. Gracefully, Laguna began to subtly lead Kylah in Squall and Ellone's direction. "Still, you barely even looked at him all night!"

"Why would I want to look at him to see that unfriendly scowl?"

"Maybe because he's been watching you all night?"

She gave him a withering look. "Yeah, right."

"No, really!" Just a few more feet and the two couples would be dancing side-by-side. "He hasn't taken his eyes off you!"

"I don't believe that for a minute."

"Then why don't you ask him yourself," Laguna said, with a nod to Ellone he abruptly spun Kylah out and let her go. At the same time, Ellone pulled apart from her partner, grabbed Kylah's wrist and gently pushed her into Squall's arms. Smoothly, Laguna then took hold of Ellone's hand and danced her away leaving a stunned Kylah and Squall to face each other on the floor.

Squall hesitated, wrestling with his emotions for a long moment. Kylah, still slightly annoyed with him turned to leave, but he caught her wrist before she had a chance to get far and pulled her into his arms for a dance.

"Let's humor them," he said, as he began to lead her across the floor.

Kylah wordlessly followed his lead, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Don't forget that we're here to work tonight," Squall cautioned in her ear as he held her close.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Laguna is our client," he reminded her. "The two of you looked pretty chummy out on the dance floor."

She snorted, looking over his shoulder. "We were discussing work."

"I've never found work that funny."

"If you really must know," she said, icily, "he asked me where I would hide a weapon under this dress. A question that I seem to recall you asking earlier this evening."

"Another reason why you shouldn't have worn that dress."

"What!"

"Distracting the client. Inticing him by wearing a sexy dress."

She smiled as she continued to look over his shoulder, speaking directly in his ear. "So, you do think my dress is sexy."

Despite his best effort, a flush crept up into Squall's cheeks. "I didn't say that."

"Yes, you did."

"Whatever. Anyway, you should have worn your uniform."

Kylah pulled back so that she could face him. "For the last time, what is your problem tonight? Are you angry because I'm out of uniform? Because you've had to take a backseat all week? Because Ellone chose to spend the afternoon with me? What?"

He looked at her for a long moment. There was that fire in her eyes again. "I honestly have no idea."

"So you're acting like a complete buffoon for absolutely no reason? And they say that women are confusing!"

"Kylah—" he began, impatiently.

"What?" she asked, expectantly.

"I –" he stopped himself, not entirely sure what he wanted to say.

Before he had a chance to gather his thoughts, the band switched from a soft, light waltz to a slow, bluesy romantic number. Couples all around them snuggled closer to one another. Assuming that Squall would not want to continue this dance, Kylah started to pull away and excuse herself from the dance floor. To her surprise, Squall refused to let go of her wrist and pulled her back, even closer than before.

"I'm not finished talking to you yet," he said.

"Well, what did you want to say," she asked, holding herself stiffly in his arms.

"I – I'm not really sure."

"Well, then, what's left to talk about?"

"Just shut up and let me think a minute," he responded, pulling her even closer and resting his cheek against her temple.

Kylah continued to dance stiffly in his arms for several moments. Gradually, however, the effects of the music playing and the wine that she had been drinking got the better of her and she began to relax in his arms. She wrapped her arms up around his neck and snuggled her cheek against his.

Squall allowed himself to enjoy the feel of her snuggled against him. He closed his eyes briefly and breathed in the light mixture of the scent of her perfume and shampoo. He hadn't felt this way in…he didn't think he had ever quite felt this way.

They danced close together for the duration of the song. Once it ended, they pulled back slightly and looked at each other with startled expressions.

"Squall…" she said, unable to finish her thought.

Suddenly, Squall realized what was happening. _What am I doing? _She was his partner. His co-worker. He couldn't allow himself to fall for her. Wouldn't allow it.

"Kylah…." He searched his mind for the right thing to say to her. "The party is, um, almost over. I'm going to head on back to our suite. I'll see you later."

Using every ounce of self-control he had, he gently released her, turned and walked out of the room leaving a very stunned and bewildered Kylah staring after him.

* * *

Kylah entered their suite a little while later and found Squall standing next to the window staring out. He had changed into his jeans and t-shirt, his feet bare, and was leaning against the window frame with his arms crossed, one leg crossed over the other. He didn't turn from the window when he heard her enter the room.

"The party's pretty much over, if you care," she said, staring at him. She dropped her handbag onto the coffee table and walked toward him.

He nodded, still not turning away from the window.

"Squall," she began, stopping next to him and crossing her own arms.

"You really do look beautiful tonight," he interrupted, turning from the window at last.

She blinked, surprised by his compliment. "Th-thank you."

"I guess that's why I was in such a crappy mood. It caught me by surprise. I'm used to seeing you all polished an businesslike." He uncrossed his arms and reached up to brush a lock of hair away from her cheek.

"I, uh, know how to clean up when the occasion calls for it," she quipped, trying to keep the mood light. Her breath caught in her throat as he stepped in closer.

"You clean up nicely," he retorted, bringing his other hand up to her other cheek.

To Kylah's utter and complete amazement, he leaned down toward her. She closed her eyes as soon as his lips lightly touched hers in a soft, sweet and tender kiss. Slowly, she raised her hands up to rest on his broad chest as she lost herself in the kiss, savoring every sensation and surge of emotion.

Squall felt as if Quezacotl had unleashed an attack from within his body. His fingertips and lips both tingled with electricity. His stomach felt as if a thousand Bite Bats had been released inside. Her lips tasted sweet and wonderful, just as he had imagined he would.

When the kiss ended, the two of them gazed into one another's eyes for a long moment. Neither of them dared to speak, afraid of ending the moment.

Finally Squall had to speak. His emotions were completely in turmoil. On one hand, he was teetering on the edge of falling for her. On the other, he was terrified of doing so and the implications of it. "Kylah, I –"

"Yes?" she said the word breathlessly.

"I…can't do this." He pulled away, suddenly. "I just…can't. You're my partner. I can't compromise our mission. I'm sorry."

"Squall –" she began, searching her mind for the right words to put his mind at ease.

Frustrated, he buried his hands in his hair. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning." He turned and walked into his bedroom.

"Squall, stop. We need to talk about this—"

His only reply was to quietly shut the door.

* * *

"This is quite a turnout," Kiros commented as he surveyed the room.

Kylah nodded in agreement. The press had come out full-force for the historical signing of the treaty. She, Kiros, Ward, and Squall had all arrived a bit early to scope things out for Laguna. Once he and President Caraway arrived, the press conference and treaty signing would begin.

She caught her father's eye from across the room. He gave her a tight smile and a formal nod, then turned back to confer with one of the presidential aides. With a roll of her eyes, Kylah sighed in resignation. She would probably never repair her relationship with him. Her eyes continued around the room to survey the situation.

Big mistake. Inevitably, he gaze rested on Squall, who had taken a strategic position near the door and next to the gathering press. They had been very formal and distant with each other all day. The memory of the kiss they had shared was still fresh in her mind, and she was hurt by the way he had reacted since. He had carefully kept her at a distance, not willing to allow himself to get close again. His gaze locked onto hers for a moment, but he then abruptly looked away.

Ignoring the pang in her heart, Kylah turned back to Kiros. "Are things just about ready?"

"All set. We're just waiting for the presidents."

As if on cue, Laguna and Caraway strode into the room together. Smiling, they both greeted the press.

Laguna took the microphones first. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a very exciting day for all of us. Esthar and Gabaldia, the two largest powers in our world have been fighting for years…"

Squall tuned out Laguna's speech and began surveying the room. If he looked up at Laguna, he had to see Kylah who was standing nearby. He was struggling very hard to put last night's encounter out of his head.

He forced his mind to switch to military mode and took inventory of everyone in the room. Keeping his position near the door kept him out of the spotlight, which made him even happier. He looked each of the members of the press over carefully, telling himself that he was doing his job of helping keep up Laguna's personal security.

Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. One of the news reporters was excusing himself from the room. That struck Squall as a little odd, given the importance of this event. Maybe the guy was as bored with Laguna's speech as he was. Besides he noticed that the guy had left his camera running.

The camera. Cocking his head to the side, Squall looked at it a little closer. Something about that camera looked a little strange to him. He hadn't spent much time in television studios, but this one just didn't look quite right. Quietly so not to attract attention to himself, Squall crept over to examine it up close.

As he looked it over, a flash inside the lens caught his eye. He peered closer into it. His heart dropped into his stomach when he realized what he was looking at.

Red digital numbers, counting down. Fifteen seconds remaining.

"Bomb!" he shouted, snatching it up by the tripod it was resting on. Thinking quickly, he tossed it toward the nearby door, hoping it would make it out of the room before it detonated.

Laguna stopped mid-sentence, his eyes wide as the situation registered in his head. He was so stunned that he couldn't even react.

Kylah's SeeD training took over. Her job was to protect the president. Thinking quickly, she jumped across the stage and knocked Laguna off of his feet, using herself as a shield to protect him.

Just as they hit the ground, a deafening explosion rocked the room. Kylah closed her eyes against the blinding light just before the entire world went black.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – When Everything Blows Up In Your Face

Laguna lay dumbly on the floor. He felt as if he had cotton in his ears, and someone had hit him over the head with a truck. No, make that a tank. He searched through his mind, struggling to remember what had happened. Oh yes. Bomb. Large explosion. Very bad.

Vaguely, he was aware of something sitting on his chest. He shifted around to find out what it was, and immediately regretted it. Pain roared through his head. He fought to focus his eyes and struggled to see what was on top of him.

Immediately, he discovered that Kylah was on top of him, eyes still closed. This presented a small problem, as she was lying right on his sternum, which was beginning to ache impressively. He lay there for a moment, trying to remember the last time he had a beautiful woman on top of him. Realizing that this was probably neither the time nor the place, he gently tapped her on the shoulder. Receiving no response, he tried gently shaking her. She still didn't move. Finally, he shook her a little harder.

Her eyes flew open and she half sat up and looked around. She immediately focused her attention on Laguna, who was still patiently lying underneath her. She said something to him, but unfortunately he couldn't hear her as the cotton was still firmly wedged in his ears.

"What?" he asked, pointing to his ears.

"Are you okay?" she asked again, making sure to mouth the words in an exaggerated manner so that he could read her lips.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Just bumps and bruises. I'll be fine. Except, you're kinda sitting on my stomach and that really isn't very comfortable."

She quickly slid off of him and he took a deep breath to refill his lungs. Immediately, he began coughing when he got a big lungful of dust and debris.

Still slightly dazed, he began looking around to survey the damage. He was surrounded by chaos as news reporters and presidential aides buzzed around the room tending to wounded.

As he surveyed the room, trying to determine where he could be of the most assistance he found a familiar face among the wounded. His heart stopped and his throat closed so that he could not breathe.

Squall.

* * *

Kylah fought through blackness toward consciousness. Someone was annoyingly poking her in the shoulder. When she didn't immediately react, they began shaking her. Gently at first, they switched to a more forceful tactic when they still received no response.

She started awake and halfway sat up to see what in Hyne's name was going on. Finding herself lying in a debris-filled conference room and lying on top of Laguna Loire, she struggled to recall what had happened. When she remembered the bomb and the explosion, her training kicked in and she switched to concern for her client.

"Mr. President, are you okay?" she asked.

"What?" he mouthed, pointing to his ears. Obviously the close proximity to the explosion had temporarily left him unable to hear. This didn't surprise her since she couldn't hear her own voice.

"Are you okay?" she repeated, trying to help him to read her lips.

He nodded, and mouthed back that she was sitting on his stomach and that it was painful. She quickly moved away, allowing him to sit up. Still not completely assured that he truly was unhurt, she continued to watch him for signs of shock or concussion. He looked around the room as if in a daze, which started to raise concern for her. Suddenly, his expression changed to one of shock and horror.

She immediately turned around to see what had upset him so much. She quickly found it, and shock also immediately registered in her eyes.

Squall lay nearby, unconscious, blood pouring from a large wound in his neck.

Kylah immediately sprang to action, leaping over debris to get to his side. She immediately pressed her hand to the wound, trying to stop the flow of blood while checking his pulse with her other hand. He was very pale and still, which frightened her. Quickly she looked around for help, and found Laguna kneeling beside her, ready to offer his aid.

He tossed aside his tie and suit jacket, and to her utter shock ripped one sleeve off of his shirt. "Move your hand," he said to her, tugging on her wrist. She only stared at him in shock. "Move your hand," he repeated, not sure if she had heard him. When she still didn't move, he forcibly removed her hand from Squall's neck and proceeded to use the shirtsleeve as a bandage tying it firmly enough to apply pressure to the wound but not so tightly that it would cut of air flow.

Laguna then placed Kylah's hand back over the wound. He tugged her chin around so that she was looking at him so that he was sure she understood him. "Whatever happens, don't move your hand," he instructed, speaking slowly so that she could read lips if necessary.

She nodded in understanding. Laguna then stood, bent down and scooped Squall up. Adrenaline racing through his veins, he never even stumbled under the younger man's muscular weight. With Kylah struggling to keep up, Laguna moved quickly out of the chaotic room and toward the nearest medical facility, which happened to be there in the presidential palace.

Kylah barely had time to think as she raced alongside Laguna through the corridors. She had no idea where they were going, and only hoped that it would be some place where Squall could get immediate attention. She could feel her heart beating in her throat as she struggled to keep constant pressure over the wound as they rushed along. Silently, she prayed that Squall would be alright.

They soon arrived at the medical clinic and burst through the door. "We need a doctor over here," Laguna called out to whomever was listening.

"Mr. President!" a nurse cried, spying the blood that soaked Laguna's shirtfront. "Are you hurt?"

"No," he replied, "but he needs attention. Now."

The nurse took a brief survey of the situation. "Bring him in here," she gestured toward an emergency exam room. "Quickly. Doctor!" she called, trying to find the nearest physician.

Laguna gently placed Squall on the exam table. He felt fear rise up in his heart as he realized that Squall had never moved or even so much as groaned since he and Kylah had found him. He looked up at Kylah who was still holding her hand against his neck. She was gazing down at Squall with a tender, worried expression. Gently, she reached her free hand up to brush his dark hair off of his pale forehead. She then looked up at Laguna and their gazes locked. They could see the same emotion registered in one another's eyes.

Fear.

A doctor bustled in with two nurses in tow. "I'm afraid the two of you will have to leave this room," he instructed, gently. "We need room."

"But, can't I just –" Laguna protested, trying to push his way back in as the doctor pushed him back out.

"I'm sorry, Mr. President, but you need to go out into the waiting room."

Laguna again tried to move past the doctor. Kylah, who had been relieved by one of the nurses, grabbed Laguna by the arm and began pulling him out of the room. "Let the doctor do his job," she told him. "He knows best how to take care of him."

Recognizing that Kylah was right, Laguna allowed himself to be pulled out of the room.

Kylah found Laguna's reaction a little odd. She knew that he and Squall had worked together before, but she really didn't think that they were all that close. _Maybe he's just in shock, or shaken up, _she decided. She knew that she was still feeling a little shaky herself.

Laguna sank into a chair in the waiting room, eyes anxiously focused on the exam room door. They could hear muffled sounds coming from the room, but were unable to make out what anyone was saying. His eyes never left the door as he sat there, hoping and praying.

Ellone suddenly burst into the room. "I heard what happened. Uncle Laguna, are you alright?" she gestured toward the blood soaking his shirt.

He looked down numbly then looked back up at Ellone. "I'm fine," he said. "But Squall…" He couldn't finish the sentence.

Ellone closed her eyes briefly. "Is he okay?" she asked, quietly.

Kylah was pacing back and forth across the room. She stopped pacing and turned to Ellone. "We don't know yet. The doctor is with him."

Ellone nodded, then knelt next to her uncle. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her cheek against his shoulder. He reached up and patted her arm, comforting both of them.

It seemed like hours before the doctor finally came out into the waiting room. He located Kylah, who had resumed pacing, and addressed her. "Who is his next of kin?" he asked.

"His next of kin is three years old and all the way in Balamb," Kylah explained. "I'm his partner. He's a SeeD, and doesn't have any other family besides his daughter."

The doctor nodded. "Then I need to speak with you a moment."

She followed him over to a nearby corner where they could speak in private.

Laguna felt like screaming. He studied Kylah's serious face as she spoke with the doctor, hoping that her expression would betray something about Squall's condition. She was listening intently to what the doctor had to say. Whatever was going on, it required deep discussion. They were in the corner for several endless minutes, each of which was torture for Laguna.

Ellone moved up behind him and wrapped her arms down around his neck. "It'll be okay," she whispered in his ear. "Everything will be fine."

He hoped she was right.

Kylah gave the doctor a final nod, then strode back over to Laguna and Ellone, a grave expression on her face. "It's not good," she said.

Laguna's heart sank.

"Apparently some of the debris from the bomb went right through Squall's shoulder as he turned to get away from the blast. The wounds themselves are not that serious, as they missed any major organs as they went thought he shoulder. It dislocated the joint, but the doctor was able to reset that pretty easily.

"The real problem," she continued, "is the massive amount of blood that was lost. When the tripod went through his shoulder, a jagged edge caught his neck and nicked his carotid artery. He's lost an incredible amount of blood, and his blood count is extremely low. So low, in fact, that they're having a difficult time getting his vitals to stabilize. He needs a transfusion.

"We know of at least one match for his blood type. But, as I informed the doctor, Cass is too small to donate enough blood and she's too far away."

Laguna was unable to stand it any longer. He jumped up out of his chair, knocking Ellone backwards. "Test me, check my type," he said, offering both arms. He turned to the doctor, who was nearby listening to Kylah's explanation. "Test me. Take it all if you need to. Whatever it takes."

Kylah looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "What are you talking about? What makes you think you would be a match for Squall's blood type?"

Laguna gazed at her with a long, contemplative expression. She could see an inner debate swirling within him. Finally, a defeated look crossed his expressive green eyes. Sighing, Laguna's shoulders sagged. "I might be a match for Squall because I'm his father," he said, releasing the secret he'd held for so long.

Her blue eyes widened in complete shock. Dazed, she stepped backwards to catch her balance. "Excuse me, what?" she asked, weakly.

The doctor stepped up and grabbed Laguna's arm. "Did you say that you're his father, Mr. President?"

Laguna gave Kylah a long, helpless look. "Yes, I am," he said, quietly.

Without hesitating, the doctor began dragging Laguna from the room. "Then let's get you to the lab to see if you match his blood type." A moment later they were gone.

Kylah was still staring at the spot where Laguna had stood. Her thoughts swirled through her head as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Finally, her knees gave out on her and she sank down onto a nearby chair. After a few moments, her head cleared enough to focus on Ellone who was sitting nearby, gazing at her with a slightly sheepish expression.

"You knew, didn't you?" she asked, dully.

Ellone reluctantly nodded.

"How long have you known?"

"Since Squall was born, actually," she responded, gently. "I was there with his mother."

"Why didn't you tell him? He has a right to know!"

She sighed deeply. "I didn't think it was up to me. I thought that if I found Uncle Laguna and told him, that he would find Squall and tell him. Just before all of the stuff broke out with Ultimecia, I even sent Squall back into Uncle Laguna to hopefully prepare him for it.

"When I told Uncle Laguna, it was right before he met Squall. With everything going on, he didn't have a chance to tell him before Squall went out to battle Ultimecia. Afterwards, he just never had the time. Neither of them did, really."

"So, Squall has no idea?"

"Completely clueless."

Laguna reentered the room, rubbing his arm where blood had been drawn. He stopped in the doorway, eyeing Kylah apprehensively.

"That's why you wanted him on this mission," she said, realization hitting her.

He nodded. "Yeah. I thought it was time he knew the truth. I was gonna tell him after all the treaty stuff was done." He paused. "I guess that kinda got shot down."

He gave her a pleading look. "Don't tell him, please?"

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," Kylah responded, smiling.

Laguna looked relieved.

"You called him here so that you could tell him, so you're going to."

Before he had a chance to answer, the doctor entered from one side of the room at the same time that Kiros and Ward entered from the other.

"Mr. President," the doctor said. "We've checked the blood types, and unfortunately you are not a match for Mr. Leonhart."

A pang shot through Laguna's heart.

"Don't worry, though," the doctor assured him. "We can search through the blood bank. I'm sure we have a suitable donation. It will just take a little longer." He then turned and ordered one of the nurses to go check the status of the lab search.

"Doctor," Kylah addressed him. "May we see him?"

"Of course," he agreed. "Two at a time, though."

Laguna and Kylah started toward the door together. Before they got far, though, Kiros interrupted them. "Laguna, man, you need to get out of here soon."

"Why?" Laguna asked, looking as if Kiros had gone mad. "I am not leaving until I know that my son is alright."

Kiros looked sympathetic. "I know that you're worried, but we have no idea who planted that bomb and who they were after. This part of the palace isn't secure, yet."

"Then make it secure. I'm not leaving." With that, he grabbed Kylah by the arm and steered her into the exam room.

The room was dim and quiet, save a heart monitor that beeped with every beat of Squall's heart. He had been stripped out of uniform and was covered to mid-chest with a light blanket.

Laguna and Kylah each moved to a different side of his bed. They were both quiet for a long moment, gazing down at his pale, still form.

"I never realized," Laguna finally said softly, "how much he looks like his mother." A lump formed in his throat. "He even has her eyes."

Kylah brushed a lock of hair off of Squall's forehead. He never moved under her touch. "Who was she? His mother, I mean."

Laguna sat down on a chair next to the bed and crossed his arms on the side-rail. Resting his chin on his arms, he fought for control. "Raine. Raine Leonhart Loire. My wife." He closed his eyes and brought up a mental picture of Raine. "I loved her so much."

"Loved?" she asked. "Where is she now?"

He fought back the familiar pain. "She…died." He opened his eyes and looked up at her. "Giving birth to Squall was too much for her."

She looked up at him. She had never noticed it before, but she noted now that he still wore his wedding band. Gently, she leaned over and tapped it. "It looks to me that you still love her. Enough to still wear that almost a quarter of a century after she's gone."

He gazed down at the ring, remembering the night that he gave Raine her ring. "I've never even looked at another woman since."

"What happened?" she asked. "Ellone said that you didn't know you even had a child. How did that happen?"

Laguna sighed tiredly. "It's a very long story. I'll explain it all to you sometime. Maybe. Really, it's too painful to remember it."

"You're going to have to talk about it eventually," she pointed out. "I imagine that he," she gestured toward Squall, "will have questions."

He nodded, eyes focused on his son's face. It was inevitable that he would have to talk to Squall. He just wasn't quite sure what he was going to say.

A nurse stuck her head into the room. "I'm afraid the two of you are going to have to step out for a while. We were able to find a blood donor, and we need to prep Mr. Leonhart for the transfusion."

With a final glance back at Squall's still form, Kylah and Laguna slipped quietly out of the room.

"So," Laguna said, looking around the waiting room at everyone. "What now?"

"I think," Ellone broke in, "that you and Kylah should start by getting a shower and a change of clothes. You're both a mess! You'll probably feel better and more focused once you've taken care of that."

Kylah glanced back toward the door to Squalls room, hesitant to leave. "I'm not sure…"

"Don't worry," Ellone put an arm around her tired shoulders and gave her a quick, friendly hug. "I'll stay with him. I'll call you if there's any change at all. Promise."

"Meet me in my office as soon as you're changed," Laguna said to her. "By then, I'll have preliminary reports and we'll be able to figure out what happens next."

Reluctantly, Kylah and Laguna both strolled off to shower and change.

* * *

Kylah had to admit, Ellone was right. She did feel much better and more focused and refreshed once she had changed out of her blood-soaked SeeD uniform and showered. She then changed into a casual pair of navy dance pants, a white camisole, and a navy zip-up hooded sweatshirt, then pulled her unruly auburn curls up into a ponytail, and tied sneakers on her feet.

As she started out of her room, she caught sight of her discarded uniform draped over a nearby chair. She knew that she should get it cleaned immediately, but she just couldn't face that yet. Resolutely, she squared her shoulders and left her suite.

She arrived at Laguna's office door moments later. The guard looked her over quickly, and gestured for her to enter. She tapped the door lightly, then entered the room.

Laguna was seated on the edge of his desk, listening to Kiros' explanation of the events of the earlier afternoon.

"Kylah!" he interrupted Kiros' monologue. "Please, come in. Kiros was just giving me a run-down of what we know happened."

Kiros had a very serious look on his face. "First thing first; the Galbadian representatives have left. Completely. They think that representatives of Esthar were behind the attack and have pulled out of the treaty."

"That's absurd!" Kylah exclaimed. "I've never heard of anything so ridiculous."

"…."

"Ward says that Esthar doesn't think that Galbadia is behind it, either. They'd be stupid to sabotage things now."

"So," Kylah mused, "who is really behind it."

Laguna smiled at her. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

She quirked an eyebrow questioningly at him.

"I want to hire SeeD to find that out. I also want to hire you, specifically, to be in charge of my personal security."

"Why me?" she asked.

"Because I figured that, whoever is looking into solving the mystery is going to have to leave Esthar to do some poking around. And I didn't figure you would want to leave Squall."

She blushed and looked quickly out the window. "I'll take care of things," she murmured.

"The fact is, we have no idea who is behind it, and who they were trying to target," Kiros spoke up. "Likely, they were trying to target one or both of the presidents."

"…"

"Ward says," he added, "that it's also possible that they were just trying to stop the treaty from being signed, and that no particular person was the target."

Kylah mulled everything over in her mind. "Well, if SeeD is going to do this, then I need to find a videophone. I'll need to speak with Cid about it and get some back-up to Esthar, pronto."

"I'll send Ragnarok to Balamb immediately to pick up whoever Cid wants to send," Laguna said.

"I already know who I'm going to ask for. I just hope they're all available."

"Who?" Laguna asked.

"Quistis, Zell, Irvine, and Selphie. The ones you worked with before. During the Ultimecia stuff?"

A groan escaped Laguna's lips, and he covered his eyes with one hand.

"What?" Kylah asked.

"Selphie? Does she still have that webpage?"

She chuckled. "Why yes she does….Sir Laguna."

He groaned again as Kiros and Ward joined in with Kylah's chuckles.

"Don't worry," Kylah assured him. "I think she's more head over heels for Irvine and his big guns these days."

Laguna looked indignant. "I'll bet he doesn't have a machine gun! And mine packs quite a mean punch, let me tell ya…" He stopped, flushed, and then looked exasperated. "What am I saying? Forget I said anything! Look, just use my videophone. It's right here."

Laughing, Kylah seated herself at Laguna's desk and turned on the videophone. Quickly, she dialed Cid's office number from memory. A moment later, the kindly headmaster's face appeared on the screen.

"Kylah!" he exclaimed as soon as he saw her. "Thank goodness! I had heard about the explosion and was concerned when I didn't immediately hear from you or Squall."

She sighed. "I escaped pretty well in-tact, but…well…" She paused. "Are you alone?"

"Why yes, I am. Why?"

"Cass isn't there in your office with you?" she asked, as she knew that the little girl sometimes spent afternoons with Cid.

"No," he assured her. "Edea took her into Balamb to visit with Mrs. Dincht."

"Good," she said, relieved. "Squall was injured in the explosion. Badly. He's in the medical clinic here at the presidential palace and in critical condition."

Cid looked concerned. "Is he going to be alright?"

"We think so, but we'll have to wait and see. He needed a blood transfusion, and the doctors are working on that right now."

He nodded.

"Anyway, no one is sure who, exactly, was behind the attack. Galbadia thinks that it was Esthar, and things are beginning to get hostile. President Loire wants to hire SeeD to find out exactly who is behind the attack and take care of it. He also wants me to remain in his employ for the time being to assist with his personal security."

"Yes, of course," Cid replied. "I assume you'll need back-up?"

"You better believe it. And I think you know who I want you to send….."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 -- Bring on the Cavalry!

"I'm telling you, man, with these hands o' mine, I can kill someone with one blow. Bam! Just like that."

"Zell, I don't care how hard you hit them, you still have to get close enough. Now with a bullet, you can be yards away and kill them in one shot. And they don't get close enough to touch you."

Zell and Irvine were lounging about Irvine's dorm room, shooting the breeze as Irvine cleaned his gun. Their conversation had somehow turned into a debate over who had the better weapon: Zell's fists or Irvine's rifle.

"But with that gun, you don't have to have any strength. You can be as wimpy as a girl," Zell pointed out. "Now, with your fists, you have to work out every day, and be really manly."

"Maybe," Irvine replied, "but chicks really dig the gun."

"You mean Selphie really digs the gun."

"Most chicks do," Irvine defended. "I just happen to have picked the best one. And it's not like I see _any _chicks falling over you!"

Zell's face turned a bright, angry shade of red. He was trying to come up with a retort when the door burst open and a very breathless Selphie and Quistis burst into the room.

"TV…News…Explosion…Esthar….BOOM!" Selphie gasped, trying to catch her breath.

Irvine gazed at her a moment, then turned to Quistis. "What the heck is she trying to say?"

Quistis leaned back against the doorframe, struggling to catch her own breath. "We were…watching TV….and a news bulletin….came on." She paused to gasp again. "There was….an explosion…at the Presidential Palace…in Esthar…at the treaty signing….where Squall and Kylah are!"

Irvine jumped to his feet from his place on the floor, forgetting his gun. "Is everyone okay? Was anyone hurt?"

Selphie shook her head, finally calming down some. "They didn't have any information," she wailed. "Oh, I hope they're okay."

Irvine moved over and pulled her into his arms. She buried her face into his shoulder and he smoothed her hair down on the back of her head. "I'm sure they're okay," he said to her, softly.

An overhead chime interrupted their conversation, and Cid's voice came over the intercom. "Quistis Trepe, Zell Dincht, Irvine Kinneas, and Selphie Tilmitt, please report to my office immediately. Repeat, Quistis, Zell, Irvine, and Selphie, please report to my office immediately."

All four of them looked at each other, then fled down the corridor toward the elevator to the third floor.

Minutes later, they arrived in Cid's office and pounced on their headmaster, all speaking at once.

"We just heard what happened!"

"What's going on?"

"Have you heard anything?"

"Are Kylah and Squall okay?"

Cid held up his hands. "Woah, woah! All of you sit. I'll explain the whole situation."

They all quickly grabbed a chair and looked at him expectantly.

Folding his hands on his desk in front of him, Cid began. "I just received a call from Kylah in Esthar –"

"So she and Squall are okay?" Selphie interrupted.

Cid shot her a reprimanding look, and she quieted down. "Kylah is fine," he assured them. "Just fine."

Irvine gave him a considering look. "I notice that you said Kylah is fine. What about Squall."

He sighed, a serious look on his face. "Squall was injured during the explosion. According to Kylah, it's rather serious."

Everyone looked at one another, concern on all of their faces.

"Galbadia is blaming Esthar for the attack, and Esthar wants to know who was really behind it. President Loire of Esthar wants to employ SeeD to find out who initiated this attack and to 'take care' of the situation. Kylah has requested that the four of you depart immediately for Esthar to join her there for further instruction and briefing.

"You all have thirty minutes to pack. President Loire is sending the Ragnarok for you immediately, and it should be here shortly."

He looked around, stopping his gaze to look each one of them in the eye. "I know that this is an official SeeD assignment, but this is personal as well. One of our own was a casualty in this attack. I'm trusting all four of you to find out who is behind it and handle it as you see fit."

They all nodded, understanding his meaning.

"We'll track them down, pin 'em to the wall, then shoot 'em in the face with a bazooka!" Selphie interjected with her usual enthusiasm, drawing groans from the others.

"You heard the man," Irvine added. "Let's do it!"

* * *

Laguna sat comfortably back in his desk chair, hands laced behind his head and feet crossed and propped up on his desk. He was gazing thoughtfully out the window over the city, completely forgetting about the pile of work that had appeared on his desk in the wake of the attack.

Suddenly, he was a prisoner in his own home. He preferred to be out and about among the people, putting on a cheerful face to keep up morale in times like these. Kiros, Ward, and Kylah had all ganged up on him, though, and had declared it unsafe for him to leave the palace until they knew who was behind the attack. So, he was resigned to trying to get caught up on paperwork in his office.

He glanced at the phone on his desk, willing it to ring. He was hoping and praying that a nurse from the medical clinic would call him and tell him that Squall had regained consciousness. Briefly, he considered calling the nurses, but rejected that idea. Since he had called only fifteen minutes before, he thought that the nurses might get a little tired of hearing his voice.

Sighing, he reached over and picked up his picture of Raine. Staring into her ever smiling eyes, he found himself more lonely for her than he had felt in a long time.

"Raine," he said to the picture, "your husband is the biggest idiot and jerk that ever walked the planet. I was given a wonderful opportunity to get to know our kid, and I might have blown my last chance!"

He could almost smell her perfume and feel her standing behind him, her hand resting comfortingly on his shoulder.

_You didn't know that it might be your last chance._

"Yeah," he said, "but after what happened to you, I should know that any chance could be the last one."

_Well, it did always take you a little longer to learn some lessons. Don't worry. I'm sure everything will be fine._

"I wish you could see him, Raine. He looks a lot like you," he paused, considering. "He's a lot more anti-social than you, though."

_I can see him, Laguna. And I'm as proud of him as you are. He reminds me a lot of you._

"Nah. He's smarter, stronger, and braver than his old man," Laguna said, pride in his voice.

_You should tell him how proud you are of him._

"What if I don't get that chance?"

_You will, Laguna. You will._

"Are you sure?"

_I'm sure. Just relax. And trust me.

* * *

_

Kylah lay on a couch in her suite, arms crossed over her head and staring blankly at the ceiling. She had excused herself from Laguna's office a few minutes earlier so that she could clear her head before her friends arrived. After stopping briefly in the medical clinic to peek in on Squall (and making the nurses swear to call her the minute there was any change), she had retreated to her quiet, calm suite of rooms.

As much as she tried to clear her head, thoughts kept tumbling through her brain. She struggled to get those thoughts to focus into an organized fashion, but for some reason she seemed unable to accomplish even this simple task. With a sigh, she admitted that she just wasn't herself.

Cursing silently, she jumped up off of the couch and began pacing the room. She was angry with herself. By all outward appearances, this change in assignment seemed straightforward and simple: find the culprit behind the attack, and keep the president safe. Why, then did it feel so complicated?

_Because you're making it complicated by allowing your emotions to cloud your judgment_, she chided herself. Realizing the source of the problem, she sat down to try to sort out her emotions. She picked up a notepad that was lying on the coffee table and began jotting down notes.

She decided to start with her job. Protect Esthar. Protect the president. _Well, that's easy enough_, she thought. What was hard about that? _You just found out that the president is Squall's father_. There was one complication. The person she was protecting was her partner's father. And her partner didn't know it.

There was another complication, one that she hadn't realized. She was a little surprised to realize that, deep down, she was angry with Laguna. Angry for waiting six years to tell Squall about his paternity. Angry for being a chicken for so long. Angry for withholding that important information from Squall for so long.

_Why am I angry about that?_ She pondered this question for a long moment, refusing to admit the truth. Finally, she recognized that she may be able to hide from everyone else, but she couldn't hide from herself. _I'm angry because he withheld that from Squall, and I've fallen for Squall._

Letting out a deep, long breath, she leaned far back into the couch cushions and rested the pad against her chest. When had she fallen for Squall? Didn't she dislike him? She thought about the events that had occurred since they had left Garden, reliving moments that she and Squall had shared together. She thought about their truce on the train, the nights they had worked together on preparing for the treaty negotiations. She remembered their heated sparring match in the cargo bay. She smiled as she remembered the dance they had shared at the ball, and the sweet kiss later that night.

Somewhere in all of that, she had fallen for him. _Fat lot of good it does me_, she thought, remembering the way he had reacted to their kiss. _I guess he just doesn't feel the same way. _She sighed, recognizing that there was nothing she could do about that situation until he regained consciousness.

Which brought her back to Laguna. She lifted up her pad to look at her notes, tapping the paper with her pen thoughtfully. As she sat there, thinking about it, she grew more and more angry. Finally, unable to contain herself any longer, she tore the paper off of the pad, tossed it in the wastebasket across the room, slammed the pad on the table, and stalked out of the suite to find Laguna.

Laguna was standing by the window in his office, looking longingly out over the city. It hadn't even been an hour since Kylah had confined him to the Palace (though for his own good), but he was already getting bored. Normally, he wouldn't mind staying in for a bit. Because he wasn't supposed to go out it suddenly became the one thing that he wanted to do.

"Laguna, man, you gotta stop thinking about it, or you'll drive yourself crazy," Kiros said from across the room where he was looking over some reports.

"…"

"Ward says you'll drive the rest of us crazy, too."

Laguna waved them off over his shoulder. "Nah, I'll be alright. Besides, it'll probably only be for a day or two, right?"

Kiros and Ward looked at each other then rolled their eyes. They had a feeling it would be a long few days.

Laguna looked up when the door to his office opened. He smiled when he caught sight of Kylah stalking through the door and in his direction. "Hey, Kylah, feeling bet- Ooof!"

His sentence was abruptly cut short when her fist connected with his stomach.

"What was that for?" he managed to wheeze, doubled over and clutching his abdomen. "I thought you were supposed to protect me, not kill me!"

Ward and Kiros exchanged another look. They weren't quite sure what do to. On one hand, Laguna was their buddy, and they thought they probably ought to help him. On the other hand, Kylah was an experienced SeeD and an expertly trained fighter. They weren't quite sure that military training that they hadn't used in over a quarter of a century would help them against a SeeD who was less than half their age.

Kylah placed her fists on her hips, and stared Laguna down. "Why did you wait _six years_ to tell Squall that you are his father? Didn't you think that he had a right to know? That you should have told him as soon as you found out? Did it ever occur to you that you were cheating you both out of even more time together than you had already lost?"

Laguna closed his eyes and rested his forehead on his knee, fighting off waves of pain and nausea. Man, that girl had a heck of an arm. "Kylah," he finally said, not looking up at her, "why are _you_ getting upset about this? Shouldn't this be between Squall and me?"

"I'm upset because….well, because…..Because I just am, alright?"

Finally recovering enough to regain his bearings, Laguna dragged himself to his feet, rubbing his stomach all the way. _I am going to have an incredible bruise_, he thought. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, fighting off another wave of nausea. Once it passed, he opened them again and looked straight into her blue eyes. "Are you upset because this affects Squall, and you care about what happens to him?"

"Of course I care about what happens to him!" she exploded. "He's my partner. We—"

"I'm not talking about a SeeD partnership," he interrupted. "I'm talking about how much you care about Squall as a person, not a partner."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she scoffed, looking away.

He reached over, grabbed her by the chin and gently pulled her gaze back toward him. "I think you do."

She was silent, a warm flush creeping up in her cheeks.

"I think," he continued, "that you've fallen for each other and don't want to admit it because it will complicate your mission."

Furious tears welled up in Kylah's eyes. She jerked away, crossed her arms over her chest and stomped over to look out the window. "You don't know what you're talking about," she finally said, angrily.

He chuckled. "Kid, it may have been a while since a woman has looked at me that way, but I do remember how a woman looks when she's in love with a man."

She still refused to look at him, concentrating hard on keeping her eyes on the city. "You're not playing fair."

"And sucker punching me in the gut was fair?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Finally turning around, she glared at him. "You deserved that."

"Maybe," he said. "But it still wasn't nice."

Kylah was silent for a moment. "Just promise me something? Promise me that you'll tell him, as soon as he wakes up?"

Laguna nodded. "First chance I have, I promise."

She started to reply, but was interrupted by the buzzing of the intercom on his desk. Kiros, finally feeling safe to move out of the protective corner that he and Ward had crawled to, stepped over to answer it.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Mr. Seagill, please let the President know that Ragnarok was just cleared to land on deck 5."

Laguna turned to Kylah. "Can I go with you to meet them?" he asked, hopefully.

She had to laugh. "You just want out of the Palace for a while," she accused.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Darn straight. Can I go?"

Shaking her head and laughing, Kylah replied. "Sure, why not. I'll subject you to Selphie for a while and you'll think twice about wanting out of this place again."

* * *

Kylah and Laguna stood side-by-side on the landing deck of the Esthar Airstation, watching as the Ragnarok entered the Station and prepared to land on the deck. Kylah shielded her eyes and looked up into the sky at the massive ship.

"Wow," she breathed. "That is a beautiful ship!"

Laguna nodded, smiling proudly. "Yep, she sure is! Squall wanted to keep her after the battle with Ultimecia, but I wouldn't let him. I just couldn't part with her."

She chuckled as she watched Ragnarok gently came down and rested on the deck with barely a thump. She was impressed; the pilot was very good.

The back hatch slid down allowing it's passengers to disembark. No one appeared immediately, which caused concern for Kylah. They had come, hadn't they?

She and Laguna heard her comrades before they saw them. Unable to keep a smile from her face, she felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders when she heard her friend's voices coming out of the Ragnarok.

"Selphie, did you _have_ to throw the pilot out of his seat? I mean, the poor guy was just trying to do his job!"

"I haven't flown this baby in forever! Besides, I was piloting her long before he even thought about it!"

"Sefie, that was cute and all, but a little unnecessary."

They all appeared on the exit ramp, arguing vehemently over Selphie's piloting job a few minutes ago, completely oblivious to the world around them. "Hey, you guys wanna stop fighting?" Kylah called. "Or do I have to ask Cid to send someone else?"

Spotting Kylah standing on the edge of the deck, Selphie squealed and broke into a run. She threw her arms around her friend, and hugged her fiercely. "I'm so glad you're okay!" she cried. She pulled back, holding Kylah by her shoulders. "You are alright, aren't you? You aren't just saying that?"

"Selph, I'm fine, really. Hey, guys," she greeted the rest of them.

Irvine stepped over to give her a gentler, brotherly hug. "You okay, K?" he asked.

She sighed and nodded. "It's been an incredibly long day, but I think I'll survive."

Quistis and Zell each took a turn hugging her, also. "We were worried when we heard about the attack," Quistis said, squeezing her friend's shoulders tightly. "Thank Hyne you reported back to Cid so quickly. We might have gone crazy wondering!"

Selphie looked around the deck, and spotted Laguna standing nearby, out of the commotion. Her eyes lit up and she ran to him, throwing her arms around his waist. "Sir Laguna! I'm glad you're okay, too!"

Laguna blushed. "Uh, thanks, Selphie…." He mumbled, obviously embarrassed by the display. Maybe he should have stayed back at the palace.

"C'mon, Selphie," Zell said, prying her off of him. "Let the poor man breathe! He's had a rough enough day, what with someone trying to kill him and all."

"We don't know that, Zell," Kylah interjected. She closed her eyes briefly. Dear Hyne was she tired. "We really don't know yet who was behind the attack, and why they did it."

Irvine noted the amount of fatigue written on Kylah's face. "Come on," he said, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. "It's obviously been a long day for you, and it's not about to end soon. Let's get over to the palace so you can brief us and get us up to speed on this mission."

"First thing's first," Quistis interrupted. "What happened to Squall, and how is he?"

"Speaking of," Kylah replied, looking at her watch. She knew that the nurses had promised to call her with a report soon. She sighed. "Has it really only been a little over three hours since the attack?" she asked Laguna.

Laguna scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, I know, it seems longer."

She turned back to Quistis. "Let's all head over to the palace now, and I'll bring you up to date on Squall's condition. I'm due for a report from the doctor and nurses in a few minutes, anyway."

Nodding, everyone headed toward a nearby presidential vehicle that was sitting nearby, ready to whisk them off to the Palace.

* * *

Kylah, Irvine, Selphie, Quistis, and Zell all stepped quietly into the medical clinic a little while later. Kylah looked at the others, a finger pressed to her lips.

"We're only supposed to go in two at a time," she whispered. "We'll have to sneak by the nurses if we all want to get in at once."

The rest of them nodded silently, and all crept behind Kylah toward Squall's door. They had nearly reached it when a voice behind them stopped them all in their tracks.

"Freeze!" called an authoritative female voice.

Guiltily, they all turned around and faced a very pretty nurse with a stern expression on her face.

"You can't all go in there together," she admonished them. "The doctor said two at a time!"

Kylah stepped forward. "Look," she began, "these guys are just like family to him. He'd want them all in there with him. Can't we please go in for just a few minutes?"

The nurse sighed and looked them all over. They were all giving her pleading looks. Finally, she relented. "Okay, a few minutes. But don't tell the doctor. And if he catches you, I didn't give you permission." With that, she turned and walked away.

The group gave each other smiles of congratulations. Kylah then reached over, turned the knob of the door, and stepped into the room.

They were all silent as they entered the room and surrounded Squall's bed. He looked pale against the white sheets, his breathing very shallow. Kylah stood near the head of his bed, and looked over the many monitors that he was hooked up to.

"He looks awful," Selphie whispered. "Even worse than he did when we busted him out of the D-District prison that time."

Kylah turned from the monitors and looked down at him. She felt a gentle tugging at her heartstrings and tenderness welled up inside her. "He actually looks a lot better than he did," she said, softly. "And his vitals are starting to stabilize."

"If he looks better," Zell commented, "I'd hate to have seen him a while ago."

"It's funny," Quistis mused. "You always think of Squall as being invincible. He would be the last of us I would have imagined in this position."

Irvine remained silent. He wasn't looking at Squall, but covertly watching Kylah. He had known her since she was thirteen, and was like a brother to her. Of anyone there, he probably knew her best.

And he had a feeling that something was going on.

Maybe it was the way she looked down at Squall. Maybe it was the softness in her voice. Whatever it was, it made him think. Made him wonder….

"Come on," Kylah interrupted his thoughts. "I have a lot to tell you guys. The nurses have promised to call me if there's any change."

Silently, somberly, they all filed out of the room.

* * *

"So, Commander," Irvine said, propping his feet up on the coffee table in the suite that Kylah and Squall had been occupying. "Give us the dirt."

"Commander?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Selphie interjected. "With Squall obviously out of commission, you've just been bumped up to leader of this mission. Congratulations!"

She sat back into the couch, allowing this to sink in. "I knew that," she said, "but I guess it just didn't register until now." She shook her head as if to clear it. "Well, I guess my first order of business as the mission commander is to brief all of you as to the status of the mission.

"The negotiation of the peace treaty was actually a success," she began. "All details had been ironed out, and all parties were ready to sign. When the bomb went off, all of that literally blew up in our faces. Galbadia is under the impression that Esthar was behind the attack, and have pulled out of the treaty and are arming themselves for battle. President Loire vehemently denies that Esthar was involved. He's commissioned SeeD to find out who is really behind the attack, and why."

She paused, then continued. "Esthar is in no shape to fight a war against Galbadia at this point. Though it's been six years since the Lunar Cry, Esthar took incredible casualties at that time. They simply haven't had a chance to fully recover. Laguna is fearful of what a Galbadian invasion could mean for Esthar. It's our job to stop it before it happens.

"I'll be staying here in Esthar to command the mission, and, more importantly, to see to the President's personal security. At this point, we're running under the assumption that the assailant was after President Loire, President Caraway, or both. President Loire, naturally, is concerned about his personal security. I've promised him that I would personally see to that."

She turned to Quistis and Zell, who were sitting side-by-side on one couch. "I want the two of you to head to Deling City. Poke your noses around, see what you can find out. A lot of travelers go through Deling City, and someone may know something. If you can't find anything out there, move on to Timber. There's a lot of underground activity in Timber, so there's a very high chance you'll get some information out of someone there."

Next, she switched her attention to Irvine and Selphie. "You two are heading to Dollet. Same situation. Poke your noses around, see what kind of dirt you can dig up. After you're finished in Dollet, head to Fisherman's Horizon."

She looked around the room. "Send regular reports to me, calling in often. Once you've exhausted all possibilities in those cities, report back here." She stopped. "Any questions?"

"Yeah," Zell interjected. "If we do find out who's behind it, what do we do?"

She sent him a steady look. "Our client, President Loire, has authorized us to diffuse the situation by whatever means we deem necessary."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – Revelations

It was early morning in Esthar, the sun just peeking up over the mountains in the distance. Kylah stood with her friends on the deck of the Airstation, ready to see them all off on the Ragnarok as they set out to start their investigation.

"You guys be careful," she admonished her friends. "We already have one of us out of commission; the last thing we need is more."

"Don't worry," Selphie replied, cheerfully. "We'll be fine! How much trouble can we really get into in Dollet?"

Kylah raised an eyebrow and gave her a look.

Grumbling, Selphie climbed aboard the ship.

Quistis gave Kylah a quick salute. "We'll contact you before the day's out," she promised, and then turned to follow Selphie. "Selphie! Leave that pilot alone!"

Zell entered an impromptu boxing match with an imaginary enemy. "Don't worry, Kylah. We'll take care of it!" With a quick wave, he turned and joined his friends on the ship.

That left Kylah and Irvine standing face-to-face on the deck. "Are you going to be okay?" Irvine asked her.

She crossed her arms over her chest, hugging herself tightly. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I mean, how hard can it be to baby-sit a cranky president who's miffed because he's been confined to quarters?"

He chuckled at her half-hearted attempt at a joke. "We'll be in touch," he promised. "And Kylah? There's something I want to ask you about when I get back."

"What is it?" she asked, struggling to keep panic out of her blue eyes.

Irvine made note of the reaction. "Like I said, when I get back. Later, K." Refusing to answer any more questions, he turned and strode casually up into the Ragnarok.

Kylah groaned and put the heel of her hand to her forehead in frustration. She wasn't sure what Irvine thought he knew, but she didn't want to find out.

* * *

A little while later, Kylah walked up to the door of Laguna's office. Before she opened the door, she quickly braced herself for an encounter with President Loire. She had already heard through the Palace grapevine that he was in an incredibly foul mood that morning.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully as she stepped through the door.

Laguna stood behind his desk holding a cup of coffee, and looking glumly out the window. "Yeah, yeah," he replied, taking a sip from his mug.

She rolled her eyes. "You know, you won't be 'trapped' in here forever. Just for a few days. And it hasn't even been 24 hours!"

He sighed deeply. "I know, but I'm not used to being trapped like this. I like to get out and about, seeing the people."

"Like I said, Laguna, just for a few days."

He nodded, then turned from the window and rested his mug on his desk. "Have you heard anything about Squall this morning?"

"Yeah, I just left there," she replied. "His vitals look better, but he still hasn't regained consciousness."

"They don't know when he will, either," Laguna said, frustration filtering into his voice.

Kylah nodded. "Yeah, but I spoke with the doctor about it this morning. He seems to think that this is what's best for Squall right now."

Laguna gave her a look that plainly said he thought she had lost her mind.

"Seriously, it makes sense. His body took quite a shock. In order to recover, it had to shut down all unnecessary systems to divert more energy toward recovery. When he's recovered enough, he'll wake up." _I hope._

"Yeah, well…." Laguna grumbled. He looked up at her with an annoyed look. "Shouldn't you be working or something?"

She looked mildly offended. "I have been working," she retorted. "Already this morning, I've sent one team off to Deling City to do some investigation, and have sent another to Dollett to do the same thing. I've also taken reports from SeeD intelligence in Timber and Winhill."

"Winhill?" he asked, suddenly giving her his full attention. "Did they have anything to report?"

"Absolutely nothing. I get the feeling from them that the locals aren't too thrilled with outsiders poking around in their town."

Laguna gave a short laugh. "That's an understatement."

She sent him a curious look. "What do you mean by that?"

He paused, not sure if he really wanted to tell her. Finally, he relented. "I used to live in Winhill. That's where I met Squall's mother." He turned his gaze to Raine's picture. "When she died, the locals blamed me. They said that if she hadn't gotten involved with me, she'd still be alive." He shrugged. "Maybe they're right."

Kylah frowned. Surely he didn't believe that. "Laguna," she said at length, "don't you dare let yourself think that. If Raine loved you the way I imagine she did, then she would rather have lived a little while and loved you than have gone a lifetime without you. Besides, look at the wonderful thing that came out of that situation."

He looked up at her. "Squall?" She nodded, bringing a smile to his face. "See? Told you you were in love with him!"

She blushed a crimson red, but gave him an exasperated look. "I'm leaving now. I don't have to take this abuse!"

As she quickly walked out of his office, she could hear his uproarious laughter following after her.

* * *

"Why don't you let me take your place so you can go get some sleep?"

It was late that evening, and Ellone had spent most of the day sitting by Squall's bedside hoping that her brother would regain consciousness. Much to her disappointment, he had remained still and silent the entire day. She hated to leave, afraid that she would miss it when he woke up.

Kylah could see Ellone's reluctance to leave. "I promise, I'll call you if there's any change at all," she pressed. "You're exhausted. Go to bed."

"What about you," Ellone countered. "You've been up working since early this morning. Don't you need sleep too?"

Kylah shrugged. "Nah. I'm a SeeD. We don't need no stinkin' sleep."

Ellone laughed. "And when you do sleep, it's with both eyes open and one hand on your weapon."

"Exactly. Now go to bed. Come on, your uncle will be upset if he hears that you didn't get any sleep."

Reluctantly, Ellone agreed. She stood, stretched her tired muscles, bid Kylah a tired goodnight, and left for the solace of her small apartment in the palace.

Kylah looked down at Squall once Ellone had left. "I guess it's just you and me, Leonhart," she said. "And you're not running away this time."

She sank tiredly into the chair that Ellone had vacated, then shifted uncomfortably. "How the heck did she sit in this thing all day?" she asked.

Giving up, she scooted her chair closer to the bed, folded her arms on the edge of it and rested her chin on her arms. "You know? Selphie's right. You do look terrible."

She paused, gathering her thoughts. "Since I have you're undivided attention, I guess this is as good a time as any to get some things off of my chest.

"I'd never admit it to him, but Laguna is right. I have fallen for you. And I know that you probably don't want to hear that, which is why I'm telling you now when you're dead to the world and won't remember it. I don't know why I fell for you, since you're an emotionally challenged jerk. But I did.

"I also wanted to tell you that I was really scared when you were injured in the blast. I guess I still am. We all are. When you wake up, you have to promise that you'll never scare us like that again.

She closed her eyes, fighting back tears. "Squall, you have to come back to us soon. So much has happened that you need to know about. Did you know that you have a father? I really shouldn't tell you that, because he wanted to. And he's going to. Don't be too hard on him when he does. He really loves you, and has been worried sick these past couple of days.

Carefully, she reached out and took his hand. "Just please come back to us." She rested her cheek against the crook of her other arm, eyes never leaving his face. She willed him to open his eyes, but he seemed to ignore that request.

Gradually, the long day caught up with her. She slowly drifted off into a deep sleep, her hand still holding his tightly, head still resting on the edge of his bed.

* * *

He fought his way up through the darkness, struggling toward the bright light. Gradually, he became aware of his senses. First is hearing. He heard an annoying beep, continuing every second or so. He swallowed hard. He felt like he had swallowed a bucket of sand, mouth and throat both dry and scratchy.

Next he became aware of the pain. A deep, agonizing ache in his shoulder and neck. His shoulder felt as if someone had ripped his arm from the socket and casually jammed it back in. He also felt as if a large butcher knife was wedged in the side of his neck.

Finally, he was able to open his eyes. He blinked several times, trying to force his eyes to focus in on his surroundings. It took him several minutes to realize that he was in some sort of hospital room. He tried to move his hand to rub his eyes, but found that he couldn't move it. Slowly and carefully, he turned his head to see why he couldn't move it.

He found Kylah resting her head on the edge of his bed, hand intertwined with his. She was sleeping peacefully, auburn hair spilled out over her shoulder and part of the blanket.

"Kylah," he whispered, quickly finding that his voice didn't work quite right. He swallowed again, then gave it another shot. "Kylah," he said again, this time a little more loudly.

Her head shot up and looked wildly around the room. In seconds, she had focused in on him and realized what had happened.

"You're awake!" she cried, joyously. "Oh, thank goodness!" She moved from the couch to sit on the edge of his bed. "How do you feel?" she asked, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead.

He closed his eyes. "I feel like someone summoned Doomtrain to run over me," he managed to whisper.

She chuckled. "Don't move. I'll go find a nurse." She quickly fled the room.

_No problem,_ he thought. _I don't think I can move._

She returned moments later with a nurse in tow. "Well, Mr. Leonhart," the nurse said, cheerfully, "it's good to see you back among the land of the living. Let's check you over." She set about checking his vitals and medicine levels.

Kylah's eyes widened when the nurse peeled off his dressings to check the wound and change them. She hadn't seen the wounds since he'd been brought here, and it was quite a shock. It was a mass of black and blue, a large, angry red wound right in the middle. A long, jagged slice ran right along the side of his neck. She winced, knowing that it must hurt tremendously.

He looked at her sleepily. "Yeah, it doesn't feel too great," he murmured, reading her thoughts.

She smiled sympathetically, and reached over to squeeze his hand comfortingly.

"Well, everything looks good," the nurse said, as she gently wrapped his shoulder and neck in fresh, clean bandages. "Now, you need to get plenty of rest and –"

She was interrupted when the door flew open and Ellone and Laguna burst into the room. Ellone was clad in a simple satin nightgown, bathrobe belted tightly around her slender waist. Laguna wore bright blue sleep pants with yellow chocobos dancing cheerfully around them. He had carelessly thrown a t-shirt on when he'd been suddenly dragged out of bed, and had barely taken the time to throw his bedraggled hair up into a sloppy ponytail.

Kylah looked him over, and raised an eyebrow. "Chocobos?" she asked.

He looked down, then flushed. "Yeah, well….. I forgot my shoes, too," he said, noticing his bare feet.

Ellone snickered. "The ensemble just isn't complete without those adorable moogle slippers."

"S'okay," Squall mumbled sleepily from his bed. The nurse had increased his pain medication, and it was making him very drowsy. "Kylah has a pair of those cute moogle slippers too."

Laguna chuckled. "Well, if you're going to be in charge of my personal security, I'm glad to know you at least have taste." He then turned serious, and stepped over to the side of Squall's bed. "How ya feelin' kid?" he asked.

Squall frowned. "Why does everyone keep asking me that? I feel terrible."

"If it's any consolation," Ellone said, stepping beside her uncle, "you don't look so hot either."

He closed his eyes and chuckled softly. "Appropriate."

"Do you remember what happened?" Kylah asked.

He sighed deeply. He really was starting to have a difficult time focusing. "I remember a reporter… and a camera… The camera had a bomb in it…." He opened his eyes and looked around. "I tried to get the bomb out of the room before it exploded. Was anyone else hurt?"

"Cuts and bruises, nothing major," Laguna replied.

Squall nodded and closed his eyes again.

"I think," Kylah said, noticing that Squall was beginning to drift off, "that we'd better leave him to get some rest." Laguna and Ellone nodded and started to tiptoe out of the room. Kylah started to follow.

"Kylah?" Squall asked, opening his eyes again.

She turned and gave him a questioning look.

"Can you stay? Just a few minutes."

She smiled and nodded. Quickly signaling Laguna and Ellone to go on back to bed, she re-entered Squall's room and sat back down next to his bed.

"Thanks," he mumbled, giving into the medicine and allowing himself to fall into a deep sleep.

"No problem," she replied, softly, taking his hand once again.

* * *

Late the next morning, Kylah peeked her head into Squall's room to see if he was awake. She found him sitting up in bed, scowling into a magazine that someone had brought him.

"How's it going?" she asked, opening the door fully.

He looked up from his reading. "I'm feeling better, but can you please find me something decent to read?" He held up his reading material, revealing a popular woman's magazine. "The nurses around here just don't have the same taste that I do."

She laughed heartily. "You're saying that you don't want to learn more about women?" she teased.

"I'm saying that I've learned more about PMS this morning than I ever wanted to know."

This made her laugh harder. "I'll see what I can do," she promised.

"_Weapon's Monthly_, _Timber Maniacs_, I don't care. Anything is better than this." He tossed the magazine aside. "So, what have I missed?" he asked, settling back comfortably and looking at her expectantly.

She quickly filled him in on the events of the past two days, carefully leaving out the part about Laguna being his father. It took her several minutes, but she detailed the aftermath of the explosion, SeeD's new assignment, and the arrival and departure of their friends from Balamb.

"I received a report from Irvine late last night, and he said that he and Selphie have heard rumors of a new underground anarchist group based out of Gabaldia, but they haven't been able to find anything out about the membership or its purpose. Quistis sent me a message this morning that said she and Zell are turning up nothing in Deling City, and are going to move on to Timber this afternoon," she finished up.

Squall pondered all of this in his head. "So, you're staying behind to see to the President's personal security?"

She nodded. "We have to run under the assumption that the target was either Laguna or President Caraway. Or, possibly, both. At least until we come up with evidence that proves otherwise."

"What can I be doing?" Squall asked, anxious to get back into action.

She shook her head. "You can rest and relax so that you can recover quickly. That's it."

He frowned.

"Don't give me that look," she admonished. "At least for a couple more days. I'm handling this assignment very well on my own for the moment. You haven't even been conscious for 24 hours. Give yourself a chance to heal before you get back out and try to kill yourself again."

Reluctantly, he agreed. "I guess you're right. I just don't like being out of the loop during stuff like this."

"Don't worry," she assured him. "I'll keep you up to speed on what's going on, and let you know if there are any new developments."

The door to his room quietly swung open and Laguna's head popped around the edge of it. "Am I interrupting?" he asked, hesitantly. "If I am, I can come back later…"

"Nah," Kylah replied. "I was just bringing Squall up to date on the status of the mission."

Laguna nodded. Kylah noticed that he looked a little nervous and fidgety. He was rocking back and forth from the heels of his feet to the balls of them, hands jammed into his pockets restlessly.

"Laguna," she inquired, looking puzzled. "Are you okay?"

Before he could answer, a sharp, shooting pain shot up his leg. He yelped, grabbed it, and started hopping around on one foot.

Squall eyed him curiously. "What has you so nervous?" he asked.

Laguna looked up at him sharply. He had forgotten that Squall had been sent back into his life as a younger man, and knew that he only got leg cramps when he was nervous. He realized that he couldn't put this off any longer since Squall obviously knew something was up.

"Kylah?" he said, turning to her with a pointed look. "Can I speak with Squall for a minute? Alone?"

She got the message loud and clear. Standing, she stretched her arms lazily above her had so to appear casual. "I have some work I need to be doing anyway. I'll catch you guys later." She then strolled out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"Okay," Squall said, once Kylah was out of the room. "What's going on?"

Laguna began to pace. "I, uh, have something important that I need to tell you."

Squall was silent, waiting for Laguna to continue.

He sighed. "Okay," he continued. "Man, this is harder than I thought it would be….. Um…"

This time, Squall rolled his eyes. "Would you spit it out already?"

Laguna nodded. "Okay. Alright. Um, Squall. What I have to tell you is… What I mean is….Well… How should I explain it? Uh….."

He took a deep breath, fighting to calm his frazzled nerves. "Squall, I knew your mother," he finally blurted out.

Squall stared at him for a long moment. "My mother?" he finally asked.

"Yeah."

"How did you know my mother?"

"I knew your mother because… Well, because…. Your mother was…."

"Laguna!" Squall finally shouted, exasperated with the entire situation.

"Your mother was my wife!" Laguna finally cried. "I knew your mother because she was my wife." He was silent after that, hoping that Squall would put two and two together.

Squall was stunned. He couldn't speak. He felt as if he had been punched in the gut. He could only sit and stare at Laguna in total shock.

"That means I'm your…."

"…My father." Squall whispered, reality setting in.

Slowly, Laguna nodded.

Squall closed his eyes and rested his head back against the pillows. Snippets of conversation from the past abruptly came flooding back to him as Laguna continued to speak.

_Uncle Laguna went on a journey to find me... But because he did, Uncle Laguna wasn't able to be by Raine's side when she died._

"I really wanted to tell you this sooner…"

_Raine wanted to show Laguna her new born baby…_

"…just never seemed like the right time!"

_Raine kept calling out for Laguna. So no matter what, I wanted Laguna to stay in the village..._

"I guess now's not the greatest time, but…"

_You look like your mother._

"It just couldn't wait any longer…"

_Ward said, "Thank God you don't look like your father."_

"We're both always so busy—"

"Get out," Squall finally interrupted Laguna's ramblings, eyes still closed tightly.

"Squall," Laguna tried again.

"I said, get out!" His grey-blue eyes flew open, full of fury. He was angry. Really angry, Laguna noted.

Laguna let out a deep breath, and nodded. "Okay, I'll go," he said, softly, and bit his lip. He had known it would be bad, but he'd figured he'd at least have a chance to explain himself. With a final glance over his shoulder, he opened the door, stepped through it, and quietly shut it behind him.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – You're the Next Contestant on Family Feud

When Laguna stepped into the waiting room of the medical clinic, Kylah was standing waiting for him. She was leaned against a nearby wall, arms crossed over her chest.

"I guess he didn't take the news too well," she observed, taking note of Laguna's downcast expression.

He snorted. "That's an understatement. He told me to get out."

She looked sympathetic. "Did you really think he'd be all welcoming and happy about it?" she asked. "I mean, this is Squall we're talking about."

"I guess not, but I didn't expect it to hurt so much, either."

She patted his arm. "Give him some time. I'm sure he'll come around. It's quite a shock, though. He needs time to get used to the idea."

"Sure," Laguna replied, glumly. He jammed his hands into his pockets and strode out of the room toward his office.

Kylah watched him walk away, then turned back to Squall's door. Resolutely, she grabbed the knob and threw it open.

"I said, get out!" Squall said, from his bed. He was lying back against his pillows with his good arm slung over his eyes. She imagined that he had been deep in thought.

"No, actually, you didn't," she replied, lightly.

He looked up. "Oh, it's you." He eyed her suspiciously. "I thought you said you had some work to do."

"I lied."

"So you knew too?"

"Yeah, for a couple of days," she admitted.

"Then you get out," he said, draping his arm back over his eyes.

"Not a chance," she shot back, taking a seat on the edge of his bed. "I'm not leaving until you've heard what I have to say."

He raised his arm and glared up at her. "If I listen, will you leave."

She nodded agreeably. "After I'm finished, if you still want me to go, I'll leave."

"Fine," he said, dropping his arm again.

"Fine," she replied. "Look, I know that this is an incredible shock to you. But if it makes you feel any better, he didn't know himself until just before he met you. I know that he's still had six years to tell you, but you're both busy men. And, in his defense, you're not always the easiest person to talk to."

Stubbornly, he refused to answer.

"You were just saying yourself on the train ride here that you wanted more of a family than just you and Cassidy. Well, here's your chance. You have a chance to know your father, and to learn more about your mother. Don't throw it away."

She paused, trying to determine if she was getting anywhere, or just wasting her breath. Taking the chance that she just might be getting through, she plunged on. "Squall, he has been sitting up night and day waiting and worrying over you for the past two days. He was petrified that he might have blown his last chance to know his son. I know you're hurt and angry, but Squall he loves you. More than you even realize."

He peeked out at her again. "Are you finished?"

She sighed. "Yeah, I'm done."

"Good. Now get out."

She stood, strode over to the door, and flung it open. "Fine," she said, turning back to him, "I'll go. But I'll be back." With that, she slammed the door shut behind her.

Finally, he had peace and quiet so he could think.

He took several steadying breaths, trying to calm the rage that ripped through his already exhausted body. He felt abandoned. Rejected. Angry. He wanted desperately to hate Laguna.

Anger at himself quickly rose up to join the other emotions when he realized that he couldn't bring himself to hate him. Well, why not? Hadn't he walked out on his wife and son?

Raine. So, Raine was his mother. He closed his eyes and tried to picture her face as he had seen it through Laguna's eyes when Ellone had sent him back into his father's life over six years ago. She was beautiful, he remembered. Patient, kind…and not afraid to put Laguna in his place when he needed it.

How could Laguna just walk away from her, especially when she needed him more than she ever had? Obviously, he had found Ellone. Why hadn't he gone back to Raine?

He opened his eyes and glowered up at the ceiling. He realized that he was also angry with Kylah. She was supposed to be his friend and partner, and she had kept this from him! He scowled, remembering the kiss that they'd shared a few nights earlier. Hadn't that meant anything to her? Did she care so little about him?

With a cry of anger and frustration, he used his good arm to jerk a pillow out from under his head and hurl it against the opposite wall. Just as it hit its target and knocked down a picture that was hanging there, the door opened.

A very startled Ellone poked her head in hesitantly. "Are you okay?" she asked, giving him a concerned look.

He glowered back at her. "You knew too, didn't you?" he growled.

She quietly closed the door behind her and leaned back against it, hands folded in front of her. "I'm the one who told Uncle Laguna," she confessed, softly.

"How could you not tell me?" he exploded. "Ellone, you saw me before him! Why? Why didn't you tell me when you had the chance?"

Her eyes filled with tears. "Squall, I thought he should be the one to tell you. If I'd known he'd take this long—"

"Get out," he interrupted, turning away. "Just go!"

Ellone managed to get the door open before the tears fell.

She quickly fled the medical clinic, wiping her cheeks as she went. Her footsteps led her to her Uncle's office, where she hoped to speak with him. As she rounded a corner, she literally ran right into Kylah, who was moving as quickly as she was. She lost her balance, and before she could catch herself landed neatly on her backside in the middle of the corridor.

"Ellone!" Kylah cried, obviously startled. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to plow over you!"

Ellone struggled to her feet. "I'm okay," she managed to whisper.

It was then that Kylah noticed the older woman's tears. "I take it you've been to visit our favorite patient?" she asked, sympathetically.

She could only nod, mutely.

Kylah patted her arm. "I don't advise going to visit your uncle either."

"Why?" Ellone asked, giving her a confused look.

She smiled grimly. "Like father, like son. One is in his hospital room, sulking, while the other is in his office, sulking. As the expression goes, don't poke the behemoth."

"Great," Ellone groaned.

Kylah crossed her arms over her chest, contemplating the situation. She stared at the floor for a moment, deep in thought. Finally, she looked up. "Are you hungry?"

Ellone looked taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Are you hungry?" Kylah repeated. "Cause I am, and I really need to get out of this place for a while. Let's go out to lunch."

"But aren't you supposed to see to Uncle Laguna's security?"

Kylah waved the question off. "I'll put Kiros in charge of babysitting duty for a while. He used to be a soldier. He can handle things for a while. C'mon," she tugged on Ellone's arm. "I need to place a call to Cid, and then we'll go hit the town."

* * *

"I'm glad you suggested this," Ellone said later that afternoon as they sat across from one another at a table in one of Esthar's best restaurants. The window beside of their table offered a breathtaking view of the Palace.

Kylah gazed out the window for a long moment. She almost dreaded going back. "I'm beginning to wish that I'd gone with Irvine and Selphie," she mused.

"You don't like being here?"

She shrugged. "It's not that. I like Esthar, I like the people, and I really like working with your Uncle. But this mission suddenly got really complicated, and I feel like I'm being dragged into the middle of a family conflict. Besides, I really don't feel like I'm doing anything. The rest of the guys are out there, putting themselves at risk to find out who's behind the attack, and I feel like I'm sitting pretty."

"You are not 'sitting pretty,'" Ellone insisted. "You're leading this mission, tending to the president's personal security, and serving as a central reference for the rest of your team to report information. You're delegating and overseeing the mission. You're doing your job.

"And as far as the family conflict goes," she shrugged. "Hopefully, that will work itself out."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that," Kylah agreed. "Once he calms down, Squall will be more reasonable and willing to listen to explanations. Or, you can bribe the nurse to give him enough drugs to put him in a really good mood." She paused, considering the situation. "Then again, there's always the option of tying him up and gagging him so he can't yell at you to get out again."

Ellone laughed. "I'll get the rope if you'll get the gag."

They were both laughing hysterically when Kylah's cell phone rang. "Deraldi," she managed to answer around her giggling.

"Ms. Deraldi, this is Nurse Bingham over at the Presidential Palace," came a cheery voice on the other end.

"Yes, Nurse Bingham," she replied, warmly. "Is there a problem with Squall?" Concern rose in her voice.

"Not at all. I just wanted to let you know that the doctor was just by and Mr. Leonhart is going to be released in a little while, barring the results of some tests that we need to run. He'll need some clothes, though, before we let him go. Can we trouble you to bring some for him?"

"No problem," Kylah assured her. "I'm out having lunch at the moment, but I'll be back to the Palace shortly. Tell Squall that I'll drop them by once I get back." _And if he has a problem with waiting, he can go suck an imp's toe, _she added silently.

"Thanks, Ms. Deraldi!" the nurse chirped, then hung up.

"What's up?" Ellone asked as Kylah hung up her phone.

"Squall is being released," she replied, a smile on her face. "They just need me to drop off a change of clothes for him, since the ones he was wearing are kinda bloodstained and shredded in places."

"Well, I'm all finished," Ellone said, pushing her plate away.

"Me too." Kylah sighed, looking back up at the Palace. "Lovely as this little escape has been, I guess it's time to go back to reality."

* * *

Kylah stepped through the door of her suite and quickly dropped her bag on a chair. She first went to her own room to check for messages or faxed reports. Disappointment crept up when she found neither waiting for her. With a sigh, she left her room and strode across the suite to take care of her task.

Hesitantly, she opened the door to Squall's room. Feeling like an intruder, she stepped through the door and looked around. His gunblade was leaning against the wall next to the bed, carefully loaded and polished. He had been wearing his SeeD uniform to the treaty signing, so she could see his leather jacket peeking out of the slightly open closet door. His boots were lined up right underneath the jacket. She closed her eyes and breathed in his aftershave that lightly scented the air in his room.

The room was a mirror of her own, so she quickly located the bureau. She opened one drawer, and found that it contained several pairs of jeans. Quickly grabbing one, she then closed the drawer and moved down to the next drawer. It was full of t-shirts and socks. She added a shirt and a pair of socks to the jeans and started to leave. Then a thought occurred to her. She sighed, then crouched down to open the bottom drawer. Crimson flushed up into her cheeks when she located Squall's underwear drawer.

_Hmmmm…I never took him to be the boxer type, _she thought, surveying the selection of boxers in the drawer. She grabbed a pair at random, hid them under the t-shirt lying on top of the stack. She then grabbed the entire stack, and fled the room.

Once in the sitting room, she breathed a deep sigh of relief. Snatching up her bag, she felt her pocket to make sure she had her keys, then strode out of the suite.

She wasted no time getting to the medical clinic to make her delivery. Smiling at the nurses as she passed, she walked quickly up to Squall's door and opened the door.

"Hey!" Squall's startled cry greeted her. She stepped into the room in time to see him quickly sitting back down on his bed and yanking the covers back up. "Go away!" he yelped.

Kylah blushed furiously. She had gotten a brief glimpse of his boxers before he'd dived back beneath the covers. Hesitantly, she stepped a bit further into the room. "The nurse asked me to bring these to you," she said, resting the stack of clothing on the foot of his bed. She refused to meet his eyes.

He ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "Thanks, I appreciate it. I, uh, hope it wasn't any trouble."

"No, none at all," she assured him quickly. There was an awkward pause. "Well, I'll be going now." Kylah finally said, and started out of the room.

"Kylah, wait," Squall stopped her.

She stopped at the door, but still wouldn't look at him.

"I, uh, wanted to thank you for sitting with me last night," he said, softly. "And to apologize for yelling at you earlier. None of this is your fault."

She slowly turned around, forcing herself to look at him. "It's okay," she replied. "You're frustrated."

He shrugged with his good shoulder. "Maybe. Anyway, I was glad you were with me last night."

"I understand. It's nice to have another person with you when you're feeling rough," she began.

"No, Kylah. I was glad _you_ were with me. Not just another person."

The blush crept back up into her cheeks.

"Anyway," he said. "I'll get dressed and wait for the nurses to clear me to go. I'll catch you back at our suite later."

She nodded, flashed him a brief smile, then left the room.

* * *

It was late that night before Kylah made it back to her suite. She had gone to Laguna's office once she left Squall's room, so that she could let him know of Squall's release.

Laguna looked much older to Kylah that afternoon. She could tell that the investigation into the attack paired with the conflict with his son was weighing heavily on his shoulders. He'd been relieved to hear that Squall was to be released. He was still, however, in quite a mood. He had kept Kylah, Kiros and Ward all three hopping all afternoon.

Tiredly, Kylah opened the door to the suite, checking her watch as she did so. The rest of the crew should be calling soon to check in.

She found Squall lounging on the couch when she entered the room. He was wearing a clean t-shirt and his jacket, and had obviously showered. He had also taken the time to shave the stubble from his face. His injured arm was resting against his chest, carefully cradled in a sling that the nurses had given him to take care of it.

"Hey," she greeted him, looking him up and down. "You're awfully dressed for it to be so late at night."

"I'm not staying," he confessed, apologetically. "I just wanted to tell you good bye, then I'm going to catch a train."

"Oh, really?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She had been anticipating this. "And where are you going."

"Home," he replied. "I'm really not needed anymore for this mission, so I thought I'd go home to finish recuperating."

She smiled sweetly. "Wrong. You're not going anywhere. I spoke with Cid just this afternoon. Your orders are to stay here and serve as an advisor to me, and oversee me in my first position of command of such a mission."

He looked outraged. "What?"

"I'm sorry, Squall, but you're not going anywhere."

He was so angry that he couldn't speak. He could only glare at her, mouth working as if he was trying to say something, but couldn't get the words out.

"Look, I didn't tell Cid what was going on. I simply explained to him that I felt that you might want to head home, but that I didn't feel that you were up to the trip, and that I needed you here. It's not my place to tell him what is going on with you and Laguna. If you want him to know, you can tell him. However, I'm not going to let you run away from your problems. You have to face your father eventually, and I'm not going to just sit back and let you run away like a frightened chicobo and hide in Balamb. You're going to stay here, with me, and help me with the rest of this mission." She held up a hand when he started to speak. "And I know that you're the leader of SeeD, but you still take your orders from Cid. If you have a problem with them, take it up with him."

"You had no right—"

"To meddle in your affairs? To stick my nose where it doesn't belong?" she interrupted. "Squall, I may have been meddlesome, and nosy, but I did what I thought was for your own good. I did it because I care about you, Squall, and deep down, you know as well as I do that if you run tonight, if you don't stay and face your father and find out what, exactly, happened to your mother, then you will regret it. You'll regret it for the rest of your life."

He didn't reply. Furious, he spun on his heel, stalked into his bedroom, and slammed the door behind him.

"That's right," she yelled through the door. "Go hide in your room! Stay in there all night for all I care! But you have to come out sometime! And when you do, I'll be waiting!"

Huffing angrily, Kylah flopped down on to the couch, arms crossed across her chest. She sat glowering at the coffee table. In complete frustration, she kicked the coffee table over and gave a long, angry cry. "Men!"

* * *

Squall sat on the edge of his bed, glowering at the closed bedroom door. He seethed as he replayed the encounter with Kylah over and over in his mind, furious that she would pull such a stunt.

It was bad enough that she had stuck her nose into his business once again. But to go over his head and pull rank on him like that… That was more than crossing the line. There was absolutely no point to him staying on in Esthar now, since Kylah had the help of the rest of their friends with this mission. He would much rather recover from his injury in Balamb than in Esthar.

He stood and began restlessly pacing the room. At the moment, he couldn't think of another time in his life when he had been more angry. He started to punch a nearby wall, but realized that he didn't want both arms to be injured. Instead, he settled for giving it a good hard kick. That made him feel a bit better.

He started to flop back down on his bed, but caught himself just in time. Not wanting to jostle his already aching left shoulder, he settled for gently leaning back against the pillows, keeping his arm as still as possible. Once he'd settled down in relative comfort, he resumed glaring at the door.

The scene kept playing over and over again in his mind. Kylah, arms crossed, standing in front of him, the crimson flush of anger creeping higher and higher in her cheeks. It reminded him of the warm flush in her cheeks that afternoon when she'd caught him in his underwear. And like the blush in her face the night he'd encountered her by the window. And the angry heat pouring out from her when he'd pinned her under him….

He let loose a frustrated cry and struggled to put those images out of his mind. He was angry with her. She was being nosy again. She had poked into his business. Why had she said she'd done it? Oh, yes. Because she cared.

Squall froze when he remembered Kylah saying that. She cared about him? He considered that for a moment. Shaking his head, he chose to ignore that for the moment. He rather liked wallowing in his anger for the time being.

He sighed and glanced at his bedside clock. Noting the late hour, and his fatigue, he decided to go to bed. Maybe he'd feel better in the morning. He dragged himself carefully off of his bed, and began getting ready for bed.

It took him nearly a half an hour, but he somehow managed to get his teeth brushed, and carefully undressed. He removed the cumbersome sling and slipped into bed. Tucking a pillow under his left shoulder to add support, he settled down in the darkness and allowed himself to slip into a restless sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – I'll Tell You, But I'll Have to Kill You

Squall groggily opened his eyes. He found himself tucked comfortably into his bed, a pillow carefully placed beneath his injured shoulder, and his blankets pulled up to his chest.

Gazing quickly around the room, his eyes came to rest on a folded piece of paper resting on his nightstand. Spotting his name scrawled on it, he picked it up and unfolded it. Kylah's large, loopy handwriting filled the small page.

_Squall—_

_Duty calls, and I've got to run to FH today with Kiros and Ward. __Should be back this evening. I have my cell with me if you need __anything._

-- _Kylah_

He tossed the note back on the nightstand, considering it's contents. Why had she had to go to FH? She'd said that she was going with Kiros and Ward, which probably meant that Laguna hadn't gone with them. So Laguna was still there, in the palace. Probably in his office.

Sitting up on the edge of the bed, Squall rested his right elbow on his knee and rested his chin on his fist. He sat for several minutes. He had several questions tumbling around in his head, questions that only Laguna could answer. Questions that he needed Laguna to answer.

He wasn't really sure that he was ready to face Laguna. A small voice in the back of his mind reminded him that he had been forced into a lot of things before he was ready in his lifetime. With a sigh, he realized that he wasn't going to have any peace about the situation until his questions were all answered.

_I guess it's time to face the music, _he thought. Slowly, he dragged himself off of the bed, then over to his bureau. If he was going to go speak with Laguna, he had better get dressed. He certainly wasn't going to do it in his underwear.

* * *

Laguna sat at his desk, pretending to do paperwork. He had desperately wanted to go with Kylah, Kiros, and Ward to FH, but they had all three flatly refused. As Kylah had pointed out, it would be futile to set up new security protocol for train passengers bound for Esthar if he was going to be out and about, setting himself up for another attack. Reluctantly, he had agreed. The three of them had gone off without him to inform the stationmaster in FH of the new protocols that would be going into effect immediately.

Covertly, he sneaked a glance at his computer. He wondered if Kiros would know if he skipped out on the paperwork to play pinball instead. Glancing around quickly as if he expected to get caught, he slowly reached for the mouse and clicked on the pinball icon on his desktop.

A few minutes and several thousand points later, Laguna had forgotten about the trip to FH. He was so wrapped up in his game, he jumped a mile when he heard a knock at the door.

"I'm busy!" he called, quickly closing the game down. He snatched up a sheaf of papers and pretended to be engrossed in them.

"I just wanted to know why Kylah went to FH," a familiar voice replied coolly from the doorway.

Laguna froze. Slowly, he put the papers back down on his desk and lifted his gaze. He found himself looking at Squall, who was standing calmly in the doorway. The younger man was dressed in his usual attire, with a small addition. His left arm was still resting in the sling, an order from his doctor.

"Squall," Laguna said, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice. "Come in."

Squall stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

"Kylah went with Kiros and Ward to inform the station master in FH of new security protocol that they insist have to be followed for any train passengers coming into Esthar. They wanted to go over it with him personally. All three of them decided that these new policies would be a good idea until we know who planted that bomb, and why."

Squall nodded. "I was just wondering. Her note didn't say why she went."

"She should be back this evening."

He nodded again.

An awkward silence filled the room.

"Was there something else you wanted?" Laguna finally asked.

Squall looked up from his shoes, truly facing his father for the first time since their encounter the day before. "Yeah, there is."

Laguna gestured toward a nearby chair, inviting Squall to sit. He pulled the chair over, placing it across the desk from Laguna. He sat rather stiffly in it, not quite sure he felt comfortable in this setting.

He took a deep breath. "You tried to tell me once before, didn't you? On the Ragnarok, just before we infiltrated the Lunatic Pandora, you said that you wanted to talk to me after it was all over."

Laguna nodded. "Yeah. I wanted to tell you then, but in all the hubbub and celebration I just didn't get the chance. Then I had stuff to deal with here… recovering from the Lunar Cry and such."

"I just remembered that a little while ago," Squall mused. He paused, gathering his thoughts. Finally, he looked up at Laguna accusingly. "Why did you walk away?" he finally blurted out. "What made you walk out on me and my mother? What was so important that you couldn't be bothered to stick around?"

Laguna gazed across the desk at Squall. A knot began forming in his stomach. He couldn't make himself respond to Squall's accusations. _He just wants a fight_, he told himself silently. _Let him get it off his chest._

Squall continued, mercilessly. "Didn't we mean anything to you? Do you have any idea how hard it was to grow up in an orphanage? I thought my parents were dead! As it turns out, that's only half true. What, you had your fun then walked away, leaving both of us to fend for ourselves?"

Laguna couldn't take any more. Shoving his chair back swiftly, he flew to his feet and slammed a fist down on his desktop. "Enough!" he cried, furiously. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

The two men stood across the desk from one another, staring each other down. Each was trying to wrestle with their own emotions.

Laguna swallowed hard, then spoke again. His voice was barely above a whisper this time. "You don't know or understand what it was like to know for seventeen years that she died without me by her side, and then find out that she died bringing my child into the world. To know that I've lost out on the first 23 years of my son's life, all because of a power-hungry witch named Adel."

Squall gazed at him for a long moment, unanswering. Fury seethed in his eyes.

"You know what? Forget it," Laguna finally said, turning away. "You don't want to hear or understand. Just get out."

"Fine," Squall replied, shortly. He turned on his heel and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Laguna closed his eyes, wincing when the door slammed. He stood for a moment, trying to regain his composure. He gave his desk a good, hard kick in anger and frustration.

He immediately regretted that maneuver. Pain exploded through his toes and up through his leg. Hobbling around on one foot for a minute, he cried out, more in exasperation than pain. Finally he sank down into his desk chair, still clutching his now aching leg. With a sigh, he leaned forward and rested his forehead on the edge of his desk.

After a moment, he turned his head and gazed up at the picture of Raine on his desk. "Parenthood is a lot harder than I thought it'd be," he said to her.

Her only response was that never-ending smile.

"Don't laugh at me," he chided, picking up the frame. "I'm doing the best I can." Sighing, he picked up the frame and fingered the edge of the picture. "What are we gonna do with him?"

* * *

Ellone sat in her private quarters in the Presidential Palace, catching up on her personal correspondence. Matron had written her nearly a month ago, and she hadn't yet had an opportunity to send an answer. She was deeply engrossed in updating Matron on all the recent happenings in Esthar when a knock at the door pulled her out of her reverie.

It took her several seconds to pull herself out of the letter and refocus her mind. She shook her head quickly to clear it, then stood up from her writing desk and stepped over to the door.

Squall stood on the other side of the door when she opened it. "We need to talk," he said in lieu of a greeting.

She smiled. "Good afternoon to you, too," she jokingly replied. "Come in," she stepped aside and let him into her apartment.

He pushed his way past her, then began pacing her living room restlessly. She followed him into the room and took a seat on the end of her couch.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he finally asked, looking at her with a hurt expression.

"Squall," she replied gently, "like I told you yesterday, I thought he should be the one to tell you."

"But he didn't," he retorted. "When he chickened out, you should have told me."

She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You aren't the easiest person to talk to, you know," she said. "Both of us had a difficult time approaching you about it."

"I'm not that difficult to talk to," he shot back.

Ellone looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "Oh no? I sincerely hope you're joking."

The look he shot her told her that he wasn't.

"Look," she said, changing the subject, "your bone is with Uncle Laguna. If you have a problem, take it up with him."

"I already did," he grumbled, looking away.

Her heart sank. "What happened?" she managed to whisper.

"I told him to truth. That he should have been there. That he was selfish to walk away when we needed him."

"Oh, Squall," she whispered. Her heart immediately went out to her uncle, whom she knew was probably devastated. "You don't know what you're talking about," she replied, gently. "You don't know the whole story."

"I don't need to know," he shouted, anger welling up again. "I know enough. I know he wasn't there when she needed him. You were there! You know what kind of life we started out in. We never had a chance, Elle! We were orphans, or so everyone thought, and cast by the wayside. Most of us became mercenaries because we had no other choice!"

"That's not the way it happened!" she retorted. "Matron loved us and took care of us! It's not like we were abused and unloved!"

"What would you know about it? You didn't stick around, either! You left to go off and live a sheltered life as the princess of a luxury liner for the rest of your life. You got out of the life that we lead because of your so-called gifts. You left."

Ellone could only stare at him in disbelief. She couldn't believe she was hearing these things from the brother she loved so much. "Squall," she finally said quietly. "I love you very much. But I really don't like you right now. Get out." She pointed forcefully toward the door.

Without a word, he stormed out of the room. Ellone followed him to the door, held it for him as he stepped out into the corridor, and then slammed it behind him. Once the door was closed, she leaned against it and closed her eyes. Slowly, she slid down the door until she was sitting, leaning against it. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she buried her face in her hands, and gave in to the sobs that wouldn't be stopped.

* * *

"Home sweet home," Kiros said cheerfully as he walked with Kylah and Ward down the Palace corridors toward Laguna's office.

"Maybe to you," Kylah grumbled. "Personally, I'm missing my own bed back in Balamb."

"…"

"Ward says you get used to this place after a while," Kiros replied, mildly.

"I'll keep that in mind," she chuckled, reaching to open the door to the office. The sight that greeted them inside left them all completely stunned.

Laguna was seated quietly at his desk. The amazing part was that he was calmly, and willingly, doing paperwork.

"Man, are you feeling okay?" Kiros asked, incredulously as he stepped up to the desk.

"Fine," Laguna replied shortly, not looking up from his papers.

Kylah, Kiros and Ward all looked at each other. Something was up. Laguna wasn't typically in a foul mood, and he almost never did paperwork if he could help it. Cautiously, they approached his desk.

"…"

"Ward wants to know what crawled up your butt," Kiros said, looking mildly concerned.

With a loud sigh, Laguna threw the papers down on his desk and looked up at them, annoyance flashing in his green eyes. "Look, I'm really not in the mood to be around anyone tonight. I have a lot of stuff to catch up on. If you don't mind, I'll get your report on the situation in FH tomorrow. Good night." He picked up his pen and went back to his papers.

Kylah raised her eyebrows. She had never heard Laguna even speak harshly to anyone, much less raise his voice like that. Something was definitely up. And she had a good idea what that might be.

Slowly, she walked around to the other side of his desk to stand next to him. She hoisted herself up and sat on his desk, then crossed her ankles. Resting one palm on the desktop, she leaned on it toward him. "Okay, if you really want it that way, we'll go," she said, softly. "But first, I have a very important question."

"What is it?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"If I go back to my suite, am I going to find my roommate in a similar mood?"

Laguna closed his eyes for a long moment. Slowly, he raised his head and reopened them to look at Kylah. She felt a tug on her heartstrings when she saw tears glittering in his eyes. "Probably," he replied, softly.

"Then can I hang out here for a while?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood. "I mean, you don't have mega-powerful GFs junctioned to you."

"Don't you have some of your own?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," she replied with a shrug. "But that could get awfully messy and I don't really feel like explaining it to the housekeepers in the morning."

Laguna couldn't resist a small smile.

"Well, that's a start," Kylah said, smiling encouragingly.

"Are you gonna tell us what happened," Kiros asked. "Or are we gonna have to use the Cuchi-Cuchi treatment?"

Despite himself, Laguna chuckled. "Oh, no. Not the Cuchi-Cuchi treatment."

Kylah raised an eyebrow and looked at all three of them as if they'd lost their minds. "'The Cuchi-Cuchi treatment?' Is that some strange initiation thing that they teach you in Galbadian military training?"

"…"

"Ward says that we could tell you, but we'd have to kill you," Kiros replied, grinning.

Laguna threw his papers down on the desk in disgust. "You guys aren't gonna leave me alone until I tell you what happened, are you?"

All three of them looked at each other, then looked at Laguna and shook their heads.

"Fine," he relented, taking a deep breath. "Squall came and paid me a visit."

"I guess it didn't go well," Kylah ventured.

"You could say that," Laguna snorted, leaning back in his desk chair and lacing his fingers behind his head. "Apparently I'm a terrible father and husband, and abandoned him and his mother. I 'had my fun,' then walked away."

Kylah's jaw dropped. "He did not say that!" she cried in disbelief.

"That, and more," Laguna replied, grimly.

"What did you say—" Kiros started to ask, but was interrupted by the opening of Laguna's office door and a small, familiar voice.

"Uncle Laguna?" Ellone asked tentatively.

Everyone turned toward her. She looked terrible. Her dark hair was disheveled, eyes swollen and red, and cheeks tearstained. She looked as if she might burst into fresh tears at any moment.

"Elle!" Laguna jumped up out of his desk chair and dashed across the room to her. She threw herself into his arms, burying her face into his shoulder, sobs welling up in her throat. Her uncle hugged her close, comforting her much as he had when she was a little girl. He closed his eyes, rested his chin on top of her head, and allowed a tear to slide down his own cheek. "I guess Squall visited you, too?" he whispered.

Ellone could only nod in reply.

Kylah watched the scene sympathetically. She had the unique position of being able to see the entire situation from both perspectives. While she had sympathy for both Laguna and Ellone for the verbal beating that she was sure Squall had given them, her heart also went out to Squall for the pain that she knew he was going through.

She hopped down off of Laguna's desk, and strode purposefully to the door. Kiros caught her before she could step out of the room.

"You going back to your room for the night?"

She nodded, then jerked her head in Laguna and Ellone's direction. "They're not the only ones hurting over this," she said, softly. Kiros nodded and let her go.

* * *

Kylah slowly opened the door to her suite, trying very hard to maintain control of her temper. She found Squall sitting in the sitting room, idly flipping through the channels of the television while he stared at the screen blankly. He looked up when he heard her enter the room. She tossed her keys and her bag on a nearby chair.

"Thanks for leaving such a detailed and descriptive note when you left this morning," he said, sarcastically. "Nice of you to tell me why you were going."

"I wasn't aware that I had to check in with you, given that I'm in command of this mission now," she retorted, coolly. "And quit taking your frustrations out on me. I'm not the one you're angry with."

"You're only in command because I was injured while on duty, and you went over my head while I was down," he grumbled, turning back to the TV.

"If you have a problem with it, I suggest you take it up with Cid," she said, stepping closer. "But I have a feeling he'd tell you to stay where you are and suck it up."

"Back off, Deraldi," he growled, standing up to face her. "I've had a bad day."

She stepped even closer and glared at him. "So I heard."

He narrowed his eyes. "I see you've talked to _them_," he spat, angrily. "Well, I don't want to talk about it. It's none of your business."

"It becomes my business when it affects the well-being of my client and my teammate," she shot back. Shaking her head, she sighed and sank tiredly down into a nearby chair. "Look," she began, "this is a difficult situation for all of you. And barging into Laguna's office and raving like a madman isn't going to help anyone."

"I did NOT rave like a madman," he retorted, sullenly. "I just got some things off my chest. People are always telling me I should share my feelings, so I did." He glared at her. "I thought you were on my side."

"I AM on your side," she replied, exasperated. "And I'm on Laguna's side, and Ellone's. All three of you were cheated in this situation. And, if I were in your shoes, I'd probably be furious too. He did wait six years to tell you. As a matter of fact, if you ask him he'd probably be able to show you the bruise I gave him when I realized that he'd waited so long."

He stared at her a long moment. "You hit him?"

"Belted him, right in the gut," she said, yawning.

"Why?"

She hesitated. "It doesn't matter why," she finally replied. "The point is you have every right to be angry. Just don't let your anger get the better of you, and don't do anything stupid. Go ahead, blow up, get angry. But don't completely shut yourself off to the idea of getting to know him. If you do that, you're not only cheating yourself out of the opportunity to know your father, but your mother too.

"Laguna, as angry as you may be with him right now, would be the key to you being able to know your mother too. He was her husband. He loved her. And he knew her better than anyone."

He didn't respond, but gave her a long, silent gaze.

"Maybe you don't want to hear this stuff right now, but you need to. And, eventually, maybe it will sink into that thick skull of yours." Yawning widely, she stood and stretched her limbs. "I'm hitting the sack. See you in the morning."

With that, she padded into her bedroom and shut the door softly behind her, leaving Squall to stare after her.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 – Make Them Listen

Kylah was settled cozily across her bed, engrossed in a novel. She had changed into a comfortable pair of pajamas, and had slipped her bare feet into her moogle slippers. The trill of her videophone resting on the bed next to her grabbed her attention. She quickly lowered her book, and reached over to answer it.

Irvine's smiling face greeted her. "Hey, K!" he said. "What's shakin'?"

She smiled back at him. "Entirely too much. How 'bout you guys?"

"About the same. How's Squall?"

"Sulking," she replied, wryly.

Irvine nodded. "That's what he does best," he quipped.

"Yeah. The doctor released him, but he's under orders to rest and recuperate."

"That's good to hear. I'm sure he'll be back to his cranky old self in no time."

She laughed. "So, what have you got for me?"

Irvine turned serious. "We're still in Dollett for the moment, but we'll be headed toward FH early tomorrow. I have to say, we haven't been able to find out much. We have heard rumors of a new group that is calling themselves the Punishment Syndicate. The members are all pretty closed-mouthed, unfortunately. None of them seem to be willing to talk to anyone about the group's purpose or leadership."

"Punishment Syndicate," Kylah repeated, turning the name over in her mind. "Do you suppose it means anything?"

He shrugged. "If it does, I don't know what it could be. All I know is, this group smells like trouble. Big trouble."

* * *

Squall tossed and turned restlessly in his bed. The pain, combined with his emotional turmoil made it difficult to get any real rest. He dozed lightly, fighting to slip into a deeper, more relaxing sleep.

Abruptly, a familiar sensation gripped him. A buzzing in his head. The feeling of being ripped from his body, torn back into the past.

_(Noooo…Not now, Ellone!)_

_(This is the only way I can get you to listen, Squall.)_

"Laguna, man, you must be excited," Kiros' familiar voice met his ears.

_(Oh, Elle. Of all people… why him?)_

_(Because, you refuse to see things from his point of view. So you're going to see it whether you like it or not.)_

Laguna grinned back at Kiros, joy shining in his eyes. "You have no idea! I can't believe it's been over a year since I've seen her."

The two of them were seated together in a small aircraft bound for Winhill. Over a year before, Laguna had left the small village in search of Ellone. Four months before, he had found her and sent her back to Raine, along with a letter. Raine had replied to that letter, telling him that she loved him, was waiting for him, and had a surprise for him when he returned.

"Do you think she's going to go for this whole moving idea?" Kiros asked, thoughtfully. "I mean, she seems to love it where she is. I'm not sure how she's going to react to the idea of moving to Esthar to become the president's wife."

_(You're too late! She's already gone. You let us both down!)_

"Ah, it's just a temporary arrangement," Laguna waved off his arguments. "Just until I can make sure Adel is taken care of. The last thing I want is for her to go after Ellone again."

_(He stayed in Esthar to protect Ellone?)_

"Don't forget about the rest of the world," Kiros reminded him. "That crazy witch was terrorizing the entire planet. If you hadn't sealed her away…"

"Maybe…But that still doesn't make me the hero that everyone seems to think I am. I mean, making me president and all? What the heck do I know about running a country?"

"I know," Kiros agreed. "They seem like they're a smart bunch of people. You'd think they would make better decisions about who they want their leader to be."

(No kidding.)

"Hey look," Laguna said, ignoring Kiros' comment. "There it is!" _Winhill,_ he thought to himself. _Raine! Ellone!_ He pressed his face to the window straining for a better look.

(They're not there. Get over it.)

The aircraft landed neatly just outside of the village. Laguna bounded out almost before it had completely landed. He practically flew into the town, anxious for to see his wife again, with Kiros hot on his heels.

The town of Winhill was quiet when they entered. Laguna looked around, hoping to catch sight of a familiar face. "That's weird," he observed. "Town's not usually so…quiet this time of day."

"Maybe they're hiding," Kiros suggested. "The 'Monster Hunter of Winhill' has been gone for over a year, you know."

Laguna only laughed, and strode quickly up to the door of the pub. He flamboyantly threw open the front door, and dashed inside expecting to see his wife standing at her usual place behind the counter.

He was surprised to find another woman standing there. "Who are you?" he blurted out, confused. "Where's Raine?"

"Raine's gone," the woman replied, suspiciously. "Who the heck are you?"

_(Yeah, she's gone. If you'd been there, you'd know that.)_

Laguna's blinked. "I'm her husband. What do you mean, she's gone? Where is she? Where did she go."

The woman's eyes widened in recognition, then narrowed angrily. She threw her towel down on the bar, stalked over to the bottom of the steps leading up to the living quarters. "Charlie!" she called. "Come here!"

"What?" an annoyed masculine voice replied. "I'm busy. What do you wa—" he froze when he saw Laguna standing in the middle of the pub. "You!"

"Yes, me," Laguna replied. Yeesh, would these people never accept him? "Now can someone please tell me where the heck my wife went."

"Your _wife,"_ he spat the word as if it tasted bad, "is gone. She died. In August. Three months ago. If you had been here, you'd know that."

Laguna's heart froze. "What!" he cried. "What are you talking about? That can't be true!"

"Oh, it's true alright," Charlie replied, fury rising in his voice. "And if she'd never gotten involved with you, she'd still be here. So why did you come back? Wanting more? You had your fun, walked away, and now you're back to break her heart again?"

(_No wonder he got so upset when I said that this afternoon_.)

Laguna couldn't breathe. "No," he whispered. He closed his eyes, refusing to accept what he was hearing. "What happened?" he finally asked. "How did it happen?"

"It doesn't matter," Charlie shot back at him. "You weren't here when she needed you to be. It's too late to do anything about it."

"But I'm her husband," he shouted. "I have a right to know!"

"You lost that right when you walked out on her. As for being her husband, any kind of husband would have stood by her. That poor woman died of a broken heart, and it's all your fault!"

(_Now that's a little harsh…_) 

Laguna fell to his knees. Kiros hesitantly stepped forward to put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "Please, I'm begging, tell me what happened!" Laguna pleaded.

"Forget it!" Charlie retorted. "You don't deserve to know. You deserve to rot after what you put Raine through."

What he'd put her through? He'd just gone to save Ellone. Wasn't that what Raine wanted? _Ellone! _"Where's Ellone? What happened to her?"

"Doesn't matter. She's safely away from the likes of you."

Laguna felt like his world was crashing in around him. "Please tell me this is a dream," he whispered.

(_More like a nightmare_.)

"Come on," Kiros pleaded on his behalf. "The man has a right to know what happened to his wife."

"He doesn't have the right to know anything. And if he was smart, he'd get out of town while he still can."

(_Hey, now come on! Kiros is right! He does have the right to know what happened!_) 

"Come on, man," Kiros said to Laguna, softly. "I think it's probably a good idea to leave now."

"No," he whispered. "I'm staying here. I want to stay here."

Charlie reached behind the bar and pulled out a gun. "I think it's time you left," he said, cocking the gun.

Kiros grabbed Laguna by the arm and dragged him to his feet. "No arguments," he said. "We're getting outta here."

Laguna blindly allowed himself to be pulled along back toward the town entrance. Raine. She was gone. She couldn't be gone. If she was, that meant he would never hear her call his name again. Would never feel her arms around him. Would never kiss her again.

(_That's how I felt when Rinoa died…_) 

And Ellone. Had he gone to all of that for nothing? Was she still alive? What happened to her?

"No!" he suddenly cried, yanking his arm away from Kiros. "It's not true! It can't be! I'm not leaving until I know what happened!"

Kiros sighed. His heart ached for his friend, but he had a feeling that Laguna wasn't going to get the answers that he wanted. "Man, I know it hurts. But I don't think the people here are too happy to see you. You need to get out of here, and fast!"

"I said, I'm not leaving! Not until I get some answers!"

Movement off to the side caught Kiros' eye. He turned and gasped when he saw a large group of men headed their way, all armed and ready for battle. _This doesn't look good…_

"Laguna, we really need to go! These guys are gonna kill you!"

"I don't care! I don't want to live without Raine!"

(_Wow. He really loves her…_)

"We can talk about this later, now come on!"

Without waiting for Laguna to reply, Kiros grabbed him and forcibly shoved him out of the town and toward the waiting aircraft. He signaled for the pilot to start it up and get ready to go. Behind them, he could hear angry cries following them.

"It's all your fault!"

"She died because of you!"

"You took advantage of her, then left her!"

(_Nooooo! Stop! Leave him alone!_) 

Kiros managed to drag Laguna onto the airship and shoved him into his seat. He quickly signaled to the pilot, who closed the doors and prepared to take off.

Laguna could only sit and start blankly out the window, tears sliding down his cheeks. "Gone," he whispered. "They're both gone. The whole reason I've been fighting was to protect Elle and Raine. And now they're both gone." Leaning forward, he buried his face in his hands. "How am I gonna make it without them?"

The scene abruptly changed. He suddenly found himself back in the pub. It was dark and cozy. Rain fell softly on the windows outside.

"Doctor, please come quickly!" a female voice cried.

_(I'm a doctor?)_

Dr. Talbott moved quickly through the bar and toward the stairs. He caught sight of a small, silent child sitting quietly at one of the corner tables. She was clutching a small stuffed animal, and looked frightened.

He paused, then turned around. Stepping over to the child, he knelt next to her and patted her head. "Don't worry, Elle," he comforted. "Raine will be just fine."

She didn't look convinced.

_(Ellone… When have you taken me to? What's going on?)_

The doctor took the stairs two at a time and quickly arrived in Raine's private quarters above the pub.

Raine lay in one of the two beds, sweat pouring down her face, which was red with exertion. As another wave of pain overtook her, she groaned and doubled over. "Laguna!" she cried, helplessly. "Laguna, where are you?"

_(Elle, please no. Not now. Not this!)

* * *

_

"So you weren't able to dig up anything else?"

Irvine shook his head. "Afraid not. Selphie and I have been working overtime, but haven't been able to find out anything more. I don't expect to find out much more, if anything, in FH. Those people do anything they can to avoid conflict and battle. You're best bet is going to be Quistis and Zell in Timber. We have contacts there in the underground. They'll probably be able to find out more."

"I'm expecting one of the two of them to call any minute," Kylah replied. "Let's hope they have been able to get the dirt." She yawned, tiredly.

"So, like, you look bushed," Irvine observed.

"I'm a little tired," she admitted. "Things are a little crazy here."

"What's going on?"

Kylah thought about Squall, Laguna, and Ellone. About all of the arguments and stress of the past few days. "I'm not at liberty to say," she finally said.

"Aw, c'mon, Deraldi. What's up?"

Her phone beeped to let her know she had another incoming call. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Oops! Looks like there's Quistis or Zell. Catch you later, Kinneas."

Before he had a chance to respond, she reached over and switched to the other line. This time, Quistis appeared on her screen.

"Let's hope you have more for me than Irvine and Selphie," Kylah said in greeting.

"I'm afraid I don't have a lot," Quistis replied apologetically. "We've contacted some old friends of ours here in Timber, but so far all we've managed to dig up here is a name."

"Let me guess. Punishment Syndicate."

"That's right. These guys seem to be pretty nasty, from what little bit we have managed to cook up. They're associated with some petty crime in the Galbadian territories, but no one has ever been able to get conclusive evidence that would make the charges stick, and we can't really put a name or a face with the organization."

Kylah sighed deeply. "Well, that does complicate things, doesn't it?"

* * *

"Laguna! Oh, Laguna! I wish you could be here!"

Raine's cries continued as she each contraction wracked her body. The doctor was doing the best he could for her, but as her labor grew longer and longer, he grew more and more fearful for her life and the life of her baby.

Quietly, he drew the midwife over into a corner. "It's not looking good," he whispered, hoping that Raine did not hear him.

_(No! Don't give up on her!)_

The midwife gave an angry little cry. "I wish she'd never gotten involved with that outsider!" she spat fiercely.

Raine cried out again, causing the midwife to look over her shoulder. "Is she going to make it, doctor?"

"We'll soon see, won't we?" He walked back over to the bed. "Raine," he said gently, wiping her forehead with a cool, damp cloth. "Raine, you really need to remain calm. Getting this upset is not good for you or the baby…"

"Laguna! Where is Laguna?" she cried in answer.

The doctor closed his eyes. Obviously, he wasn't going to be able to reason with her. He hoped one day he'd have a chance to get his hands on that soldier who had gotten her into this condition and then abandoned her.

_(He didn't abandon her! Do something!)_

Quickly, the doctor set to work. What seemed like hours later, a lusty cry joined Raine's in the tiny little room.

"Oh, what a beautiful boy!" the midwife cried, taking the squirming bundle from the doctor. She set about cleaning and wrapping him in a warm blanket that Raine had knitted for him.

The doctor turned his attention to Raine herself. Her eyes were closed as she lay still on her pillow. Her breathing had become shallow and raspy. He checked her pulse. It was light and irregular.

The midwife stepped over to him with the bundle in her arms. "Doctor?"

He looked up at the nurse gravely. "She's lost a lot of blood, and she's nursing a broken heart. There's not much hope."

(_Of course there's hope! Get her to Deling City! To a hospital! Take her someplace where she can get some real help!_)

Tears filling her eyes, the midwife gently placed the baby in the crook of Raine's arm. Her eyes fluttered open, then shifted down to her baby. She smiled, gently.

"Ellone," she whispered. "Where's Ellone?"

The doctor turned to the midwife, who nodded and went downstairs.

"Oh, Laguna," Raine sighed. "I wish you were here. I wish you could see him."

_(He has seen me! Don't give up! You have to fight! We need you!)_

A small sniffle was heard at the door. Raine turned and smiled at Ellone, who stood shyly in the doorway. "Come hear, sweetheart, and meet your brother."

Ellone tiptoed to the bedside and climbed up next to Raine. "He's little," she commented. "What's his name?"

Raine kissed the baby's forehead gently. "I think I'll name him Squall," she replied dreamily.

She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again and struggled to focus on Ellone. "Elle, I need you to promise me something. Promise me that you'll look after Squall, always. He's your little brother. He needs his big sister to take care of him right now."

(_Hey, you stupid doctor! Do something! Isn't that what you're paid to do? Don't let her die!_)

Ellone looked near tears. "But won't you take care of us?"

It was getting more difficult to stay awake. "I don't think I can, sweetheart." She sighed, deeply. "Always, remember, Elle, that I love you both."

Raine closed her eyes one last time. She took a long, deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Laguna," she whispered.

Then she was gone.

"Raine!" Ellone burst into tears. "Raine, wake up!"

_(No! Do something! Someone! Anything!)_

_(I'm disconnecting now, Squall…)_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 -- The Dam Breaks

"If we can't put names and faces to the organization, how the heck are we going to have anyone charged in the bombing?" Kylah asked, thoughtfully.

"Don't give up yet," Quistis replied. "Our friends, Zone and Watts, are still looking into things and promised that they would try to get us more info by morning. If we haven't found anything by then, we're heading back."

"If you do head this way by tomorrow, try and catch up with Irvine and Selphie in FH. You guys are all easily recognized, which could be why you're having problems digging up intelligence. I've got Cid dispatching some lesser-known SeeDs out to keep an eye out for more info. In the meantime, all of you convene here and we'll compare notes and brainstorm."

"That sounds like a good idea. Six heads are better than two." Quistis paused. "How's Squall."

Kylah replied. "He has been released. He's now in his bedroom either sleeping or sulking."

"Let's hope it's the former," Quistis chuckled. "Tell him we said hello. We'll be seeing you both soon."

"Night, Quistis," Kylah said, reaching out to disconnect the phone.

Just as she depressed the button and disconnected her conversation, she heard a muffled cry from Squall's room. Her mind immediately switched to battle mode as she reached over and grabbed her blades. She quickly sprinted through the sitting room to the door of his room and tried to turn the knob.

Locked.

Frustrated, she took a step back, threw off her slippers, slamming into the door with a powerful sidekick. It instantly popped open. She quickly entered the room, blades wielded, ready for action.

Instead of an intruder, what she found was Squall trashing wildly in his bed.

Instantly, she dropped her weapons to the floor and moved to his bedside. She sat down carefully on the edge of his bed, trying hard to avoid being hit by his rapidly moving arms and legs.

"Squall," she said, trying to wake him up from his nightmare. Her first instinct was to shake him, but she quickly vetoed that idea. She didn't want to jostle his injured shoulder and cause any more pain that he was already going to feel. She managed to grab hold of his good arm, and began gently rubbing it to try and wake him. "Squall," she tried again. "Hey, Leonhart. Squall."

His eyes flew open and he bolted upright looking wildly around the room. He instantly regretted that motion, because he had to use both arms to push himself up. He quickly leaned forward off of his arm, rested it across his stomach, and then doubled over.

He took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself, fighting off the pain in his shoulder, and struggling to push the images from the flashback from his mind. Slowly, he brought one knee up, laid his right, uninjured arm across it and rested his forehead on his forearm.

Gently, Kylah rested a hand on his shoulder. "Squall? Are you okay? What happened?"

A large lump was gradually building in his throat. He swallowed several times, but it wouldn't go away. His eyes started stinging and watering. He bit his lower lip.

"Kylah, go. I'll be fine. Just go," he managed to whisper, hoarsely.

"Not until you tell me what's going on," she replied softly, bewildered at the situation.

He brought his head up and looked at her. She was startled to see tears filling his eyes. Actual, honest tears. He was fighting it with everything he had, but she could see that it was a losing battle. One single tear escaped his eye and slid slowly down his cheek.

"Please, Kylah, go," he pleaded.

She sighed. "Squall, you are the most stubborn man that I've ever met," she whispered. Carefully, she slid closer to him and wrapped her arms around him in a comforting embrace.

He resisted her for several moments, refusing to give in to the comfort she offered or his own tears. After several moments, he rested his chin on her shoulder, allowing himself just a small bit of comfort. At long last, he realized that he couldn't fight anymore. Burying his face in her shoulder and sliding his good arm around her tightly, Squall Leonhart allowed himself to do something that he hadn't done in nearly twenty years.

He cried.

Kylah held him tightly, soothing him and allowing him to let it all out. She knew that the emotional, mental, and physical strain of the past few days was an enormous weight for him, and he needed to let it go. He clung to her as long, hiccupping sobs escaped him, shaking his entire body. Kylah's heart nearly broke for him.

"It's okay," she whispered. "Let it out. I'm not going anywhere."

They stayed that way for several minutes. Squall felt like a dam had burst in his heart, and he let loose a flood of emotions that he had been holding back for quite some time. Finally, he seemed to have gotten it all out of his system and was quiet.

"Bad dream?" Kylah finally asked, nuzzling his temple.

He gave a short laugh into her shoulder. "You could say that."

"What the heck happened?"

He took a deep breath to steady himself. "Has anyone told you about Ellone's special ability?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah, she can send a person's consciousness into the past, right?"

"Yeah," he managed, nodding against her shoulder. "She sent me back tonight."

"Where did she send you?" she asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"First she sent me to Laguna, when he went back for Raine after sending Ellone back to Winhill. He had no idea that she was gone, and no one was very kind about telling him."

Kylah winced, feeling sorry for the situation that Laguna had gone home to.

"Then she sent me to the doctor who helped deliver me. On the day I was born."

Her blue eyes opened wide in shock. "You saw yourself being born?"

Slowly, he pulled himself out of her arms and stretched back out on his bed. "Yeah," he finally replied, softly. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. "I'm really not sure how to feel about all of this," he said.

Kylah considered the situation as she crawled across him and stretched out beside him. "I think that's a perfectly reasonable response," she replied. "You've been through emotional hell the past few days. I think I'd be more than a little confused if I were in your shoes, too." She paused. "Why did Ellone do that to you, anyway?"

"She wanted me to see the situation from his point of view," he snorted. "I did see his point of view. And I understand where he's coming from. But that still doesn't explain why it took him six years to tell me the truth."

Rolling over onto her stomach, Kylah pushed herself up so that she rested on her forearms, ankles crossed up in the air behind her. "While Ellone's heart was in the right place, her methods are a little…unorthodox. I think that she, and you for that matter, needs to realize that the only way that you are going to understand this situation and gain any peace about it is to sit down and talk to Laguna. No accusations, no yelling or screaming, just talk."

"That's easier said than done," he murmured. "I want to yell and scream."

"From what I've heard, you did a pretty good job of that today," she replied, gently. "Look, I know that sometimes there is a call for action. This is not one of those times. This is a time for talking, and listening, on all parts. I'm in a position to see all perspectives of this situation. All of you need to see one another's point of view if any of you are going to have any peace."

She could just make out his furrowed brow and thoughtful expression in the faint light from the other room. Hoping that she was making some progress toward getting through his thick head, she plunged on and crossed her fingers that he would not throw her out of the room.

"Okay, let's look at it from this point of view. Would your mother want to see you guys fighting like rabid ruby dragons?"

Squall winced. "That was a low blow, Deraldi," he said.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," she countered. "I could also point out that you could also be guilty of abandoning your own child to go out on SeeD missions and leaving her in the care of the Kramers or the Dinchts all the time, but that's a different conversation for a different time."

Another time under different circumstances, Squall would have been furious by her comment. Now he just rolled over to face her and sighed dejectedly. "You really know how to hit a guy below the belt," he said, frowning. "But, you're right. I do need to talk to him and at least hear what he has to say. I'm not promising that I'll like it, or that I'll be willing to forgive him, but I'll at least hear him out."

"Glad to hear it," she replied, yawning. "Can I go to bed now?"

"Actually," he hesitated. "Could you stay?"

Sitting up, she looked down at him and blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Could you, like, stay. Here, tonight I mean." He sounded almost shy with his request.

"W-Why do you want me to stay?" she asked, incredulously.

He looked up at her with pleading grey-blue eyes. "Kylah, I've never had anyone be a friend to me like you've been tonight. And I still need a friend. Please stay."

His tone and his eyes tugged at her heartstrings. "Okay," she relented. She stretched back out next to him and snuggled close. "I'll stay. As long as you need me to."

* * *

Kylah awoke late the next morning. She opened her eyes slowly and peered around the room. It took her a moment to remember where she was. Once she did, she shifted slightly and looked over at Squall, who was still sleeping peacefully beside her.

_He looks so peaceful, _she observed. _Relaxed, vulnerable._

Gently, she slid her arm out from under him. Next, she gently lifted his left arm, which was draped across her stomach, careful not to jostle it and inflict pain. She quietly slid her legs over the side of the bed and stood up to stretch.

She cringed when she got a good look at Squall's room. When she had dropped her blades the night before, one of them had become wedged in the floor. Also, the lock on the door was hanging by a single screw, and the doorknob had broken off and flown across the room. _We'll have a heck of a time explaining that to the housekeepers._

Silently, she tiptoed out of the room and shut the door as best she could. Given the emotional trauma that Squall had endured the day before, she thought it best if he slept as long as he could. Besides, he was still recovering from his injury. He needed the rest.

Barefooted, she padded across the sitting room, yawning and rubbing her eyes the whole way. She felt as if someone had thrown an entire bucket of sand into her eyes. And she needed coffee. Desperately.

She hadn't quite made it to her own bedroom door when there was a knock at the door. Quickly, she glanced down. Halfway across the room, she had slipped back into her moogle slippers. She was clad in a pale yellow tank top, and matching yellow pants with little moogles dancing all over them. Her hair, she thought, must be a fright.

Another knock came, this one more loudly. With a resigned sigh, she shuffled to the door and flung it opened. She found herself facing a very concerned-looking Ellone.

"Morning," she said tiredly, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe. "You look awful."

Ellone made a face at her. "You don't look so great yourself."

"Yeah, well…rough night."

"I, uh, I wanted to check and see…" Ellone began.

"You wanted to see if Squall was okay after last night's adventures?" Kylah supplied.

Ellone flushed. "Did I overdo it?"

Kylah crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. "You certainly got your point across," she began, a touch of hostility in her voice, "but you also put him through emotional hell. That was not the way to go about things with Squall Leonhart. What neither you nor Laguna are taking into consideration is Squall's feelings right now. He's hurt, confused, and angry that this information was kept for him for six years. And then to be put through another emotional trauma last night?"

"I hated to put him through that," Ellone said, cringing. "But I didn't know how else to get through to him."

"Right now, the thing he needs most is time," Kylah replied, gently. "He's had a major blow, and he's trying to sort out how he feels about it. Give him time."

Ellone nodded, slowly. "You're right. Thanks for giving me a kick in the pants when I needed it," she replied. "I should probably let you go shower and dress. I imagine that you have stuff to do today."

"Yeah, I probably do. I'll catch you later," Kylah waved Ellone off and softly closed the door. Yawning, she turned and padded to her bedroom in search of a change of clothes, a hot shower, and that blasted cup of coffee.

* * *

"Good morning," Kylah called cheerfully as she strolled into Laguna's office an hour later. She was freshly showered and dressed, and ready to give a report on her trip to FH the day before. Upon spying Laguna, she paused.

He looked terrible.

His green eyes were blood-shot, and large bags had formed beneath them. He had also obviously overslept, and hadn't taken the time to shave that morning. To Kylah, he looked every bit his age that morning, and then some. Obviously, he had not slept well.

"Morning," he replied, looking up from the report he was reading. He reached over and picked up his coffee mug, his third cup that morning, and took a sip.

"You look like crap," she observed, moving over to perch on the edge of his desk. "What's up?"

Laguna grimaced at her observation on his appearance. Tossing the report over to her, he sat back to fill her in. "Increased activity in the Galbadian military. They're pissed off about this whole bombing incident, and ready to go to war with Esthar because they still think we did it."

Kylah sighed as she picked up the report to skim over it. "Irvine and Quistis both called last night," she replied as she looked over the pages. "They both have come up with the same name, but frankly, all four of them are too well known to be very successful at intelligence. We're sending in some undercover SeeD members to cover intelligence and bringing those guys in to help play bodyguard for you."

He frowned. "Is all that really necessary?"

"If the Galbadian army invades, it might be," she replied, mildly.

"What's the name they have?"

"Punishment Syndicate."

He played the name over again in his head. "That's kind of a stupid name."

She chuckled, amused by his assessment. "That's what I thought. We think it might be a code name of some sort, but haven't figured that out yet."

Kiros and Ward strode into the room at that moment. Both nodded in recognition at Kylah. "Morning," Kiros said. He was not known for being a morning person.

"I've been told that it is," she replied, jokingly. "I'm not sure yet if it's a good one, though."

Laguna sighed and looked out the window, brooding. "Ellone told me what she did last night," he said, softly.

She turned to him, sympathy in her eyes. "She definitely got her point across," she responded.

He shifted his gaze up to meet hers. "I guess we'll see." He paused, thinking for a moment. "Do you have any plans this afternoon? Anything that you _have_ to do?"

She shrugged, unsure of where he was going with this. "Not that I can think of right off…"

"Then do me a huge favor," his eyes were pleading.

"What?" she asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

He reached back, dug out his wallet, and handed her his credit card. "Take Ellone out for a girls' day out. Do whatever it is girls do when they go out. Hair, nails, shopping… I don't care. Go all out. And it's on me. Take the afternoon off and please, cheer her up."

"Along the same lines," Kiros interrupted, "you should take the afternoon off, too, man."

"…"

"Ward says you look like crap and need to get some sleep. Go back to your apartment and take a nap. We'll cover things here if necessary."

"And leave Ellone to me," Kylah interjected, tapping his credit card against her palm. "We'll give your card a workout and come back with a whole new wardrobe." This was the easiest task she'd had for this whole assignment.

* * *

Squall awoke feeling much like Alexander had sat on his head. Or Eden. Possibly both. He groaned softly as he buried his head under the pillow, remembering the events of the night before. Needing comfort, he reached over to snuggle back against Kylah.

He was surprised to discover that she was gone. Pulling the pillow up over his head, he glanced at his bedside clock and immediately realized why she was gone. It was past noon. She had probably been gone for hours.

Somehow, he managed to haul himself out of bed and stumble to the bathroom. He blinked several times when he flipped the light on. Once his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he discovered a note stuck to the mirror. Another of Kylah's little notes, her familiar handwriting filling the page.

_Squall,_

_I hope you're feeling much better this morning. I've been given the afternoon off, and have gone out with Ellone. If you need anything, call my cell. Should be back early evening, but will be here in Esthar in case of emergency._

_Take care!_

_Love,_

_Kylah_

Love Kylah? What had she meant by that? Did she mean that she really loved him, or was that just a passing comment? He quickly decided not to think too much about it, and tossed the note in the trashcan.

Leaning on the counter, he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked horrible. He felt horrible. Physically and emotionally, he had taken a horrible beating.

He closed his eyes, remembering the things that he had said to his father the day before. Hating himself for it, he recognized that he needed to go apologize. But he had no idea what he would say to Laguna.

Deciding to just wing it, he reached into the shower and turned it on as hot as he could stand it. _Might as well get this over with_, he thought.

* * *

"When do you think this place will return to normal?" Kiros asked Ward as they looked over reports in Laguna's office later that afternoon.

"…"

"Yeah, I know, there is not real definition of normal around here. How about, when do you think things will calm down some?"

"…"

"I hope so," Kiros agree, nodding.

The two men were so engrossed in their work, they didn't hear the door quietly slide open. They both jumped when someone cleared his throat to get their attention. Kiros narrowed his eyes slightly when he saw Squall standing in the doorway.

"Sorry for interrupting," Squall said, softly, "but I was looking for Laguna."

"Laguna has taken the afternoon off," Kiros replied stiffly. "He was tired and needed some rest."

"What's with everyone taking the day off?" Squall wondered aloud.

"…"

"Ward says that Laguna and Ellone neither one slept that well last night, 'cause they were upset about something. Laguna went to take a long nap, and Kylah took Ellone out to get her mind off of the situation."

Squall felt a pang of guilt. He had certainly caused a lot of trouble. "So, Laguna's in his apartment?"

Kiros nodded.

"Thanks," Squall replied, turning to go.

"Squall," Kiros called after him.

The younger man turned and looked at him questioningly.

"…"

"Yeah, Ward is right. If you're just going to go cause more trouble, leave Laguna alone. He's upset enough."

Squall looked at the floor and sighed. After a moment, he looked back up at Kiros. "I'm not going to cause trouble for him. I'm going to talk."

With that he turned and left the room.

Kiros and Ward stared at the door where he had stood, then at each other. "…"

Kiros shrugged. "Beats me. I dunno what changed his mind. Maybe Kylah hit him, too."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 – First Steps

Laguna had taken Kiros and Ward's suggestion and had gone back to his apartments to settle in for a nap. This was not something that he typically did because he usually had a hard time forcing himself to stop long enough during his busy afternoons to actually sleep. Today, however, he had no problem. He lay on his stomach across his bedspread, arms wrapped comfortably around the pillow under his head. He had changed into a pair of baggy sleep pants, but had vetoed the idea of wearing a shirt. Unable to sleep with his hair up, he had taken out he elastic band and let his long hair tumble about his shoulders.

He was out like a light and unaware that anyone else was in the world when a sharp knock on his front door interrupted his rest. At first, he thought he was dreaming. A second, louder knock brought him fully awake, however, and he realized that it was not a dream.

Groaning, he located a t-shirt and pulled it down over his head. Grabbing his elastic band off of his dresser, he threw his hair back up into a ponytail and headed to answer the door.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming," he grumbled, stumbling sleepily toward the door. After the third knock, he finally reached it and flung it open, ready to let whomever it was really have it for interrupting his presidential nap.

His shoulders slumped when he found Squall standing in the corridor waiting for him. "What do you want?" he asked, warily.

Squall looked his father up and down, taking in the rumpled pants, tousled hair, and bare feet. He had obviously interrupted a really good nap. And the old man looked like he could use it. He had never seen Laguna looking so worn out.

Taking a deep breath, Squall took the plunge. "I want to talk. Really talk this time."

Laguna stared at him silently for a moment, unsure if he was willing to take a chance at a repeat of the day before. Finally he nodded, and stepped aside to let Squall step into his apartments.

Squall looked around as he walked through the door. Esthar certainly spared no expense to make sure their leader was comfortable. Laguna's quarters were spacious and luxurious. Plush carpeting, expensive furniture…. And a breathtaking view. He had to admit, he was impressed as Laguna led him through the apartment and into his den.

"What did you want to talk about?" Laguna asked, flopping into a large overstuffed chair and draping his legs over one of its arms.

Squall sat opposite him in a similar chair, and took a deep breath. He had rehearsed this a dozen times on that day, but actually saying it was much harder. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday," he began. "I was way out of line. You didn't deserve any of that."

Laguna blinked. This wasn't something that he had expected. "What made you change your mind about the situation?" he asked. _I wonder if Kylah hit him, too_, Laguna silently thought to himself as he remembered his bruised stomach.

Squall smiled grimly. "Ellone kinda changed my mind for me," he replied, dryly.

His father nodded, slowly. "She told me this morning that she had sent you back into me. What did you see?"

"I saw how you were treated when you went back to get your wife. I saw how much you loved her, and how broken-hearted you were when you found out she was gone." He stood and began pacing the room. "I saw how you were doing your best to protect your family. And how that caused you to lose them."

Laguna shrugged, but couldn't hide the pain in his eyes. "I thought I was doing the right thing."

Squall was quiet for a moment, thinking the situation over. "Why did you wait so long to tell me?" he finally asked. "I mean, you had six years. Didn't you think I deserved to know the truth?"

The older man sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It just never seemed like the right time," he replied. "I didn't want to tell you before you went off to fight Ultimecia because I was afraid it would distract you in battle. When everything was over, we were both caught up in parties and celebrations and stuff. Things calmed down after a while, but you were busy with being commander of SeeD, then marrying Rinoa, then Cassidy was born…. When I finally worked up the nerve to tell you was just before Rinoa died. I actually had my hand on the phone to call you when Kiros came to tell me what happened."

Squall gave him a speculative look. He hadn't known that.

"I went to her funeral," Laguna continued. "You looked like a ghost, really confused and out of it, so I figured that was not the time to drop that kind of bombshell on you."

He nodded slowly. Vaguely, he remembered seeing Laguna among the faces at Rinoa's funeral.

"The next thing I knew, two more years had passed. I tried several times to get in touch with you, but every time I called Garden you were out on some mission or another. That's why I specifically requested you for this mission." He paused. "I thought I'd completely blown it when that bomb went off. I thought my last chance was out the window. And I promised myself that I'd tell you no matter what if you pulled through okay."

Squall digested all of that for a long moment. "I wish I could say that it was no excuse, and you should have made the time to tell me… But as it has been recently pointed out to me, I'm not the easiest guy to talk to, am I?"

Laguna snorted. "That's the understatement of the century. And I don't always have the easiest time saying what I want to."

Squall chuckled and nodded. That much was true. "Did Elle tell you where else she sent me last night?" he questioned.

"She sent you somewhere else?" Laguna asked, a puzzled look on his face.

Squall bit his lower lip, not sure if he should continue. "She sent me back to be with Raine the day I was born," he finally said, quietly.

Pain twisted Laguna's heart as he closed his eyes. He swallowed several times, fighting for composure. "You've done something that I've never been able to, then," he finally whispered. He opened his eyes and looked at his son. "I've never been able to bring myself to do that."

"She loved you, you know," Squall replied. "She kept asking for you, wishing you could be there."

Laguna closed his eyes briefly. Ellone had never told him the details of Squall's birth and Raine's death. It was a blessing and a curse to him that she had spared him that information. "If I had known, I would have given anything to be there," he replied, softly.

"I know that now." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Look, I'm still not too happy that you've waited six years to tell me all of this. But I don't hate you. And I don't hold you responsible for everything bad that's happened in my life. All things considered, I don't have any regrets about my life," he continued. "If you had known about me, I wouldn't have grown up in an orphanage, and I wouldn't have become a SeeD. Then I wouldn't have fought Ultimecia, would never have met my friends. Would never have met Rinoa.

"And if I hadn't met her, Cassidy would never have been born. I wouldn't have this impish, energetic little devil to keep me on my toes." Squall was suddenly overwhelmed with missing his daughter.

"On the other hand," Laguna pointed out, "if you weren't a SeeD, chances are Rinoa wouldn't have been killed."

Squall's eyes shadowed briefly. "I still miss her," he admitted. "But life has to go on without her. She wouldn't want me to spend the rest of my life alone and miserable. Besides, she'll always be with me through Cassidy." He looked up at his father. "Just like Raine will always be with you through me."

The corners of Laguna's eyes crinkled up in a smile. "You do look like her, you know. I noticed that the first time I met you."

Squall snorted. "Kiros said the same thing. Ward said that I should be glad I don't look like my father."

Laguna made a face. "Yeah, yeah. Ward tries to be a comedian."

Squall laughed. He then spotted a picture of Raine sitting on a table across the room. Stepping over, he picked it up and studied it. "You know," he mused, "I always thought that Cass looks like Rinoa. Now, looking at this picture, I think she looks more like Raine." He looked over at his father. "But she has your eyes. I always wondered where those green eyes came from." He sighed heavily. "I miss her. I really do. I don't think I've ever missed her while on a mission before, but right now I just wish I could see her."

"Why don't you call her?" Laguna gestured over to the large videophone that was mounted on the opposite wall.

"That is huge," Squall observed. It took up nearly the entire wall.

Laguna grinned. "When you're the man in charge, you can get neat toys like that."

"You don't mind?" Squall looked a bit apprehensive.

"Not at all. Knock yourself out!"

Squall flashed him a brief, grateful smile, then sat down in front of the videophone. He quickly dialed Cid and Edea's private number from memory. A moment later, Edea's kind face filled the screen.

"Squall!" she cried, happily. "It's so good to see you up and around!"

"Hey, Matron," he replied, warmly. "Is Cass around? Or is she with Ma Dincht?"

"Oh, she's here," Edea responded, dryly. "And just up from a nap, so she's quite full of herself. Just a moment, and I'll go get her."

Edea disappeared. Some mild shuffling could be heard away from the phone. Moments later a small, mischievous face appeared on the screen.

"Daddy!" Cass squealed, joyfully.

Laguna studied the small face on the screen. Cass did look like Raine. But with wide, sparkling green eyes. _She does have my eyes,_ he thought, joy and wonder filling his heart.

"Hey, kiddo," Squall replied, smiling at his offspring.

"Daddy, you got hurted!" she exclaimed, pointing to the sling he still wore on his left arm.

"It's just a little scratch, Cass," he reassured her. "I'll be okay in a couple of days."

"Where _are_ you, Daddy? You've been gone a _really_ long time!"

He supposed he had been gone longer than usual. "Do you have your ball there with you?" he asked. He had been using his missions to teach Cassidy a little about geography.

She held up the inflatable ball that he had bought her that also served as a globe.

"Now, where are you?"

"Riiiiight, here!" she pointed triumphantly to the small island of Balamb on her ball.

"Do you see that really big piece of land next to Balamb?" he continued, patiently.

She turned the ball slightly and studied it thoughtfully. "This one?" she pointed to a spot on the ball.

"That's the one. That's Esthar. It's a really big country. Even bigger than Galbadia. And I'm here working for the president."

Cass screwed up her face thoughtfully. "What's a pres'dent, Daddy?"

Squall pondered the best way to explain to a three-year-old the concept of a president. Finally it came to him. "Do you remember visiting your Grandpa Caraway? And how he's the _president_ of Galbadia?"

Cassidy thought about it for a moment. Finally, her eyes brightened. "Oh! A pres'dent is someone who bosses people around all day!"

Laguna howled with laughter. He had never heard his job described in such a manner, but her childish innocence shed new light on the true nature of his position.

His hoots and howls caught Cassidy's attention. "Who's that?" she asked.

"It's the president, kiddo. President Loire. Laguna Loire."

"Ohhhh… Is he nice?"

Squall glanced at Laguna and smiled. "Yeah, he's pretty nice. Would you like to meet him?"

"Yeah!" she squealed. Cass loved meeting new people.

Laguna looked at Squall questioningly, but Squall nodded, and gestured for Laguna to take his place in front of the phone. Hesitantly, Laguna stepped over.

"Uh, h-hi, Cassidy," he stuttered, awestruck at the chance to finally speak with his granddaughter.

"Hello, Mr. Pres'dent Laguna, sir," she replied, formally. She studied him for a long moment. "You look like my daddy," she finally announced.

Laguna blushed, but smiled. "You think so, eh? Well, I guess that's a compliment."

Squall studied himself in a mirror that hung on the wall next to where he was standing. Did he really look like his father?

Cassidy nodded. "Is being pres'dent a hard job, Mr. Laguna?"

He chuckled. "Sometimes it is," he admitted. "Sometimes I'd rather be a SeeD like your dad."

The girl thought that over. "Zell is a SeeD, too. I'm gonna marry him one day."

Squall smacked the heel of his hand against his forehead. When would she outgrow that phase?

"Heeeeyyy," Cass suddenly said, remembering something. "My Aunt Elle lives in Esthar! Do _you_ know my Aunt Elle?" She pointed to Laguna.

He smiled. "I knew your Aunt Elle waaaay back when she was _your_ age."

Her eyes widened. "Aunt Elle was my age? Was that, like, a zillion years ago?"

Now it was Squall's turn to laugh. "Cass?" he interrupted, hating to end conversation. "We really need to go now. I'll be home as soon as I can."

The corners of her mouth turned down in a pout, but she nodded. "Okay, Daddy. I miss you. I love you!"

He smiled. "I love you too, kid."

* * *

"Remind me to profusely thank Uncle Laguna for this," Ellone sighed, settling back into her chair blissfully.

She and Kylah had spent the first part of their afternoon shopping to their hearts content. Kylah hadn't felt right about using Laguna's card for her own purchases, so had turned that over to Ellone and was using her own hard-earned SeeD paychecks to splurge on herself.

"I guess you're feeling better?" Kylah asked, unable to look at her. Kylah was seated comfortably in her own chair with a green mask on her face and cucumbers over her eyes. A young nail technician was working on giving her a manicure while another girl was giving her a pedicure.

Ellone was in a similar state. Both girls had also gotten their hair cut, deep conditioned, and highlighted. They planned on finishing their afternoon with a relaxing massage. "Who wouldn't feel better after all of this?" Ellone quipped, happily.

"Too bad we can't just stay here," Kylah sighed, almost dreading heading back to the palace.

"Yeah," Ellone sighed. "I've never seen Uncle Laguna looking so upset."

"Laguna?" one of the nail techs interrupted. "Do you mean President Loire? Are you two from the palace?"

Elle winced. "Yeah, we are," she admitted. "I'm the President's niece and this is one of his bodyguards."

The other nail tech looked up at Kylah, whose nails she was carefully painting. "You're a bodyguard? The president's bodyguard?" she asked, incredulously.

"Guilty as charged," Kylah replied, cheerfully.

The tech eyed her as if she couldn't believe that she could effectively defend Laguna if necessary. "Well, take good care of him," she said. "He's a good man

"Yeah," the other tech chimed in as she put the finishing touches on Ellone's nails. "He actually comes in here occasionally to get his hair trimmed."

Kylah's head popped up from the chair, knocking the cucumbers off of her eyes. "Laguna Loire actually gets his hair cut?" she asked in amazement.

Ellone laughed hysterically. "He doesn't actually cut it," she finally managed. "He just comes in for an estimate every once in a while."

Shaking her head, Kylah chuckled. "Wonders never cease," she commented. "I didn't figure Laguna would let anyone near his hair with a pair of scissors. At least, if he's anything like Irvine is about his hair, he wouldn't."

"Nah," Ellone replied. "With Irvine, it's vanity. With Laguna, it's more a matter of laziness. He just hates to take the time to come and get a haircut. Besides, he thinks he'd look like a dork with short hair."

Noting that the techs had finished with their nails, Kylah stood and stretched lazily. "Come on," she said, "lets go get those massages so we can head back to the palace."

* * *

Night had already fallen over Esthar by the time Kylah and Ellone made it back to the palace with their packages. Ellone sent her parcels back to her apartment with an aide and followed Kylah to her suite once they arrived.

"You don't have to," Kylah assured her, juggling packages as she fished out her key.

Laughing, Ellone grabbed a couple of packages off of the stack she was carrying. "It looks like you could use the help."

Finally managing to unlock the door, Kylah turned the knob enough to unlatch it and kicked it open so that she could enter.

Squall was sprawled across one of the couches inside, a laptop balanced on his chest as he lazily read over his e-mail. He looked up in amusement as he watched Kylah struggle to get her treasures into the suite.

"Did you two leave anything at the stores for other people to buy?" he asked, mischief twinkling in his blue eyes.

"Maybe, maybe not," Kylah retorted, grasping at a box that nearly fell off of her stack. Glancing quickly back at Ellone, she sent Squall a pointed look. "I'm going to take these things on into my room and put them away. And figure out how I'm going to get them back to Balamb. I'll see you guys later." She turned and stumbled into her room, shutting the door behind her to give them privacy.

Ellone stood hesitantly near the door, almost afraid to step further into the room. She didn't know why she had expected Squall to be gone. Now she was wishing she had gone on to her own apartment.

Squall sat up and placed the laptop on the coffee table. Gesturing toward the couch next to him, he addressed Ellone. "Come here. We need to talk."

Gulping, she hesitantly strode over to the couch and sat gingerly on the couch, looking as if she might run at any moment.

"I may as well tell you, cause you'll hear it anyway," Squall said. "I went and talked to Laguna today."

"How did that go?" she asked, carefully.

He shrugged. "I didn't yell at him again, if that's what you're wondering. We're talking. I'm still upset that I wasn't told sooner." He gave her a pointed look. "And I'm definitely not ready to call him 'dad' or anything like that. But we are talking."

"Well, that's a start." Ellone took a deep breath. "Squall, if I crossed the line last night, then I'm sorry…" she began.

"You did cross a line or two last night," he said, not beating around the bush. "Maybe it was something I needed to see, but I wasn't ready to see it at that point. It did, however, prompt me to go talk to Laguna. And it's not like I went through it alone. Kylah was there to help me through it." A light flush crept up in his cheeks.

His sister gazed at him, an eyebrow arched speculatively. "Oh, really?" she asked, a knowing smile on her face. "I'll bet she was…"

Reddening further, Squall turned away. "…Whatever."

"So it's _true_?" she asked, grinning devilishly at him.

"No," he replied, still not looking at her.

"But you want it to be," she persisted. She had never actually seen Squall blush before.

"No…Yes….Maybe…. I dunno…" he shrugged helplessly.

She was quiet for a moment. "It would be okay if you did want it to be true," she finally said. "I mean, Rinoa's been gone for over two years."

Sighing, looked at the floor. "I know," he replied, quietly. "And she would want me to move on with my life."

Jerking her head toward Kylah's closed bedroom door, Ellone smiled at him. "So what are you waiting for? Go after her!"

He looked at her for a long moment. "That's kinda hard for me to do with my sister sitting here," he said, pointedly.

"I'm going, I'm going!" she said, throwing her hands in the air and rising to head to the door. She opened the door, stepped out, then stuck her head back into the room. "Am I forgiven?" she asked, shyly.

A bemused grin touched the corners of Squall's mouth. "I'll think about it and let you know in the morning," he quipped.

Knowing that things were well on their way to being back to normal between them, Ellone stuck her tongue out at Squall then fled the room.

He chuckled, shaking his head. Maybe he wasn't completely over his anger, but he was well on the way. He turned his head and let his gaze rest on Kylah's door. Faintly, he could hear her humming to herself as she puttered around her room. Sighing, he glanced down at his left hand where his wedding band used to be. It hadn't been there in over a year.

Resolutely, he stood and strode toward Kylah's door. It was definitely time to be getting on with his life.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 -- Things Get a Little Sticky

"Come in," Kylah called, distractedly when she heard a soft knock on her bedroom door. She was sprawled across her bed, reading an e-mail message from Cid.

Squall stepped into her room and immediately felt as if the wind had been knocked out of his lungs. Without trying, she looked absolutely beautiful. She had changed into a pair of pale blue shorties pajamas, and pulled her dark auburn hair up into a clip on the back of her head. She'd scrubbed the makeup from her face, and now wore a pair of wire framed reading glasses on her pert nose. She looked carefree, relaxed, and unbelievably sensual. He found it ironic that he found her more attractive now than he had when she was all dolled up for the presidential ball. "Hey," he finally managed to say.

"How's it going?" she asked, looking up from her laptop.

"Good," he replied, moving over to sit next to her on the bed. "I talked to Elle about what happened yesterday and last night." He paused. "And I talked to Laguna today, too."

She let out a long breath. "Oh?"

He stretched out, lying on his good side. "Yeah. We're talking now. Amicably."

She stretched out to face him. "That's good," she said, sliding one hand under her cheek.

"I think so," he agreed. "I wouldn't sign us up for any father-son camping trips or anything, but at least we're talking." He paused. "I wanted to thank you."

"For what?" she asked, looking puzzled.

"For being there last night. I needed someone, and you were there. No one has ever been there for me like that. Thank you."

"No one?" she asked in disbelief.

"No one," he replied, firmly. "I've never let anyone see that side of me."

"But your wife…"

He gently reached over and pressed a finger to her lips. "No one. Ever."

"Squall…"

"Let me finish," he interrupted. "You make me crazy, I hope you know. You yell at me one minute, and then switch to being so loving and tender the next. You push my buttons and infuriate me. Then you turn around and make me laugh. You're tough as nails, no-nonsense on the job, but sweet, tender, kind and funny away from it."

Kylah could only stare at him, amazed that these words were coming out of the mouth of Squall Leonhart.

"Kylah," he continued, hesitantly, "I don't know when. I'm not sure how, but somewhere in these past few weeks I've fallen for you."

Her breath caught in her throat. "I…."

Before she could continue, he leaned over and brought his lips to hers. Gently, tenderly, he kissed her. Kylah leaned into the kiss, allowing herself to pull closer to him. Warmth crept up through her body as he deepened the kiss.

Electricity shot through Squall's limbs. He savored the warm, sweet taste of her lips against his. She curled up against him even closer, sending even more jolts through him.

Finally, they pulled apart. "You-you're not going to run away again, are you?" Kylah asked, breathlessly.

Chuckling, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. "Nope."

"Good," she replied. "Because I've fallen for you too. And if you ran away again, I'd really be forced to hurt you. And you have an injury right now, so I might actually be able to kick your butt this time."

Chuckling, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm not going anywhere," he promised.

She looked up at him, thoughtfully. "So, now what?"

"You mean, now what with us?"

She nodded.

_Good question, _he thought. _Now what? _"Well…I guess we could try perusing a relationship. I mean, if that's what you want…"

"It is what I want," she replied. "However, I think we should wait to clue the rest of the gang in on this after this mission is over. I don't want them to get distracted by us."

"Good point," he agreed. He grinned at her. "But they're not here tonight."

"A very good point." Pressing herself to him, she leaned in for another kiss.

Squall relished the feel of her against him. Her lips, her hands as the moved up to rest on his chest. He wrapped his good arm around her and pulled her even closer, deepening the kiss more and more. She responded eagerly.

After several long moments, Squall had to pull away. "I think I'd better go to my own bed," he managed to whisper raggedly into her shoulder.

"No," she protested. "Don't go."

His head snapped up and he looked searchingly into her eyes. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, uncertainly. "I'm sure…But…"

"But?"

Tenderly, she kissed his forehead. "I don't want to hurt you," she whispered, gently resting a hand on his injured shoulder.

Squall's heart melted. He smiled, then pressed a gentle kiss on her lips. "You won't hurt me," he assured her, softly.

Smiling, she nodded. Gently, she pushed Squall back against the pillows. She brought her lips tenderly to his, and allowed herself to be swept away.

* * *

Kylah lay quietly snuggled up against Squall's side. His arm was wrapped around her slender body, holding her close. Fighting pain, and a soft groan, he eased his left arm up to hold her hand, which was resting on his chest.

Conflicting emotions surged though him. On one hand, he felt wonderful. He held the most wonderful, tender, passionate woman in his arms. And she loved him. Completely.

On the other hand, he felt guilty.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he whispered, nuzzling her temple.

"Tell you what?" she asked, sleepily.

Gently, he cupped her chin and pulled her face up toward his. "Tell me that you'd never been with anyone else."

She flushed, embarrassed. "You could tell?"

He nodded, slowly. "Kylah, if I'd known…"

Quickly, she covered his mouth with hers. After a few seconds, she pulled away and looked deeply into his eyes. "You didn't force me to do anything that I didn't want to do," she said, firmly. "I wanted to be with you tonight, Squall. I love you."

He smiled. "I love you, too," he whispered huskily. Their lips met in another sweet kiss. Once they broke apart, Kylah rested her chin on his chest.

"Where did you get that?" she asked, reaching up to trace the tip of her finger along the scar that ran across his forehead and the bridge of his nose.

A frown crossed his face at the memory. "Training exercise, when I was still a student. I was sparring with one of my classmates the day I took the SeeD field exam. He fought dirty, and got a little carried away."

"Ouch," she commented.

"It's okay," he said. "I gave him one to match."

A small chuckle escaped her lips. "Men!" she scoffed. She snuggled cozily up against him again, resting her head on his shoulder. "We should probably get some sleep."

He sighed. "Yeah," he admitted. "We probably should."

She was quiet for a few minutes. Finally she looked coyly up at him from out of the corners of her eyes. "In a little while," she said, reaching for him once again.

* * *

"This is nuts!" Selphie exclaimed as she and Irvine trudged back to the inn. "No one wants to tell us anything! Everyone knows who we are, so they aren't willing to spill any beans. I even had one old guy ask me for my autograph and my phone number!"

Irvine chuckled. "Did you give it to him?"

She wrinkled her nose up at him. "The autograph, yes. The phone number, not a chance!"

"You have a point, though," he replied. "Since we defeated Ultimecia, everyone knows who we are. I guess we're not cut out for a career in intelligence."

"Well, we did get that brilliant description of two possible members of Punishment Syndicate," Selphie reminded him, rolling her eyes.

"Oh yeah. 'Really big dude and scary looking woman.' That's real descriptive. We'll just start interrogating any overly large men and frightening women."

Selphie laughed and started to reply, but stopped when she heard someone call her name.

"Selphie! Hey, Selph! Irvine! Dude!"

They both turned and found Zell jogging toward them, Quistis in tow.

"What's up?" Zell greeted, once he caught up with them.

"Unfortunately, not a lot," Selphie replied. "All we've managed to come up with is a very vague description of two possible members of Punishment Syndicate. So if you see any really big dudes or scary looking women, be sure to question them."

"We don't have much more to add," Quistis said, looking frustrated. "Zone and Watts were able to find out that Syndicate members take a vow of silence regarding other members, especially their leader. And that the consequence for breaking this vow is death."

"Friendly bunch, aren't they?" Selphie observed, dryly.

"Obviously, we're not going to be of much more help to the investigation on this end," Quistis concluded. "Cid has deployed some undercover intelligence, so let's let them do their jobs."

"Kylah has ordered our butts back to Esthar, pronto," Irvine added.

Selphie grinned up at him. "You just want to get back to Esthar so you can interrogate Kylah."

"Why are we interrogating Kylah?" Zell asked, looking confused.

"Irvine's convinced something juicy is up in Esthar," Selphie answered, looking smug. "Kylah said she was tired, but wouldn't say why. Irvine's suspicious. Personally, I think she's sleeping with Sir Laguna."

Now it was Quistis' turn to roll her eyes. "Please. Kylah wouldn't do that!"

"Why?" Selphie shot back.

"Number one," Quistis replied, calmly, "he's our client. She wouldn't fraternize with a client. Number two, he's old enough to be her father. Number three, we're on a mission, and she wouldn't risk getting distracted during a mission."

"C'mon!" Zell interjected, "I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation. Maybe she had insomnia. Maybe the neighbors were playing really loud music! Maybe Kiros and Ward kept her in a meeting until really late going over security procedures…."

"Maybe," Quistis added, playing along, "she's actually working as a double agent. Maybe she's actually under the employ of the Galbadian government, working to sabotage the Estharian government…."

"Maybe," Selphie said, an impish grin on her face, "she's just gettin' lucky!"

Irvine pulled her into a headlock and playfully ruffled her hair. "Just because someone doesn't sleep much doesn't mean that it's because they're getting lucky." He released her and glanced at his watch. "Well, shoot. We missed the last train to Esthar for the day. Next one leaves at 06:45 tomorrow."

"We have a room at the inn," Selphie reminded him. "Might as well make use of it."

Together, the foursome headed toward the inn, arguing the entire way over what was really going on in Esthar.

Irvine said nothing. He had suspicions as to what was really going on, but didn't want to say anything until he knew for sure. _Kylah, I hope you know what you're doing, _he said silently.

Just as the group started enter the inn, shots rang out from a nearby alley. Quistis was passing underneath the doorway when it happened, and wood splintered in the inn's sign above her head.

All four of them looked at one another, startled. Irvine reached for Exeter, nodded to Zell, and took off into the alley. Selphie and Quistis wasted no time in following them.

They immediately spotted a dark figure looming just inside the alley. The gunman jumped, obviously startled. He took several more shots at the group before he took off down the alley. Irvine quickly raised his gun up to his shoulder, aimed carefully, and fired at the perpetrator.

He fell, obviously wounded by Irvine's shot. He started to get back up, but was stopped when Zell caught up with him and grabbed hold of him.

"Who are you?" he asked, shaking the wounded man. "What do you want?"

By now the rest of the group had caught up with Zell. All of them crowded around, wanting to know what was going on. Quistis gasped when she caught sight of the Punishment Syndicate emblem on his jacket.

By now blood loss had caught up with the gunman. He opened his eyes, and looked around. He struggled to focus his gaze on Quistis, who was kneeling beside him. "Quistis Trepe….? Why did…. I have to pull…. YOUR name off of…. the list?" he asked, just before he slipped into unconsciousness.

"The list?" Selphie asked, looking a bit fearful.

All four of them looked at each other. Fear and confusion registered on each one of their faces. What on earth was going on?

* * *

Kylah opened her eyes sleepily and glanced over at the clock on the bedside table next to her bed. Noting the time, she stretched lazily and rolled over to face Squall. He slept peacefully beside her, his hair tousled around his face. She smiled, pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, then turned to slip out of bed.

His hand caught her wrist just before she made it out of the bed. "Where do you think you're going?" he murmured drowsily.

She smiled down at him. "While some of us can lie around in bed all day, the rest of us have some actual work to do today. I never did go over the new security protocols for FH with Laguna, so I should probably go do that. He'll be in his office in about half an hour. I needed to get a shower before meeting with him."

He sat up and leaned over to kiss her. "I don't suppose you'd be interested in company for that shower?" he asked, hopefully.

"I might be talked into that," she replied, coyly.

"What are we waiting for?" Squall said jumping up out of bed. Laughing, Kylah followed him into the bathroom.

* * *

Author's Note: A slightly short chapter, at least for me. Okay, now, I've given away several subtle hints about the main enemy behind all of this. If you can guess, e-mail me and let me know! 


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Note: Okay, here's a bit more fluffy-ness for your entertainment. I'll probably have one more fluffy chapter before I get back into the drama. I thought I'd break things up with a little lighthearted humor before moving in to the really serious stuff.

* * *

Chapter 17 – Say It, Don't Spray It

"Exactly whose idea was it to take the early train?"

Irvine rolled his eyes. He'd heard nothing but complaints all the way from FH. "Can it, Zell," he growled, fed up with the grumbling. "We needed to get to Esthar to report to Kylah."

"We coulda done that over the phone," Selphie pouted, hoisting her duffel, which was slipping off of her shoulder. "You just wanted to get back to grill her."

All four SeeD members were strolling down the corridors of the Presidential Palace early in the morning. They had caught the first train leaving FH that morning, and had arrived in Esthar before the city was really even awake for the day.

"Irvine, will you slow down," Quistis cried, struggling to keep up with his strides. "Our legs aren't as long as yours are."

"Besides," Zell added, "what's the rush? Kylah's probably just getting up."

The smug grin returned to Selphie's face. "Maybe Kylah isn't there," she commented. "Maybe she's in with Sir Laguna!"

"Oh, knock it off, Selphie," Quistis scolded. "I'm telling you, if anything she's working as a double agent."

"You're both nuts," Zell argued. "There is a perfectly reasonable explanation. I mean it!"

"All of you knock it off," Irvine said, tired of listening to their theories on why Kylah so tired. "We'll find out soon enough. See? There's the suite."

He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out the key to the suite that Kylah had given him before they had left days before. Quickly, he unlocked the door.

"That's odd," Quistis observed, looking around the still, silent suite. "Kylah's usually a pretty early riser when she's on a mission."

Zell dropped his bags and walked over to poke around in the kitchenette. "Not even a pot of coffee brewing. That's _really_ weird for her!"

"Come on," Selphie said to Quistis. "We'll go wake her up."

The two girls picked up their totes and headed to Kylah's bedroom, while the guys strode of to drop their stuff in the room that Squall occupied. They opened the door and peeked inside, expecting to see Kylah sound asleep in her bed.

"Well," Selphie observed. "We know she's awake. Her bed's not even made yet." She stepped fully into the room. "She's in the shower," she said, her ears picking up the sound of running water, and spotting the slightly ajar bathroom door. "I'll just peek my head in and let her know we're here."

Quistis turned around to put her things away in an empty drawer. Her back was to Selphie when the brunet opened the bathroom door. The blonde instructor heard Selphie's startled gasp, followed by Kylah's outraged cry.

"Excuse me!" Selphie cried, and slammed the bathroom door closed. She stood by the door, staring at it in horror, a crimson flush creeping up into her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" Quistis asked, bewildered.

"K-Kylah's in the shower," Selphie managed to reply.

"Yes, I gathered that. What, did she suddenly grow two heads?"

"What's going on?" Zell asked, entering the room, Irvine right behind him.

"I'm trying to find that out," Quistis said, looking at Selphie.

"K-Kylah's taking a shower," she repeated. "A-and sh-she's not alone!"

Zell's jaw dropped. "Was your theory about Laguna right?" he sputtered.

Selphie shook her head vehemently. Taking several deep breaths, she tried to calm herself and find her voice. Finally, she managed to push the whole story out in one big rush. "I didn't mean to! I mean, I've walked in on Kylah in the shower a hundred times! Girls don't mind that kind of thing. She doesn't have anything that I don't have. But I threw open the door and there was Squall in all his glory! Wearing nothing but a big smile! And Kylah!"

"Squall!" the other three cried in unison.

At that moment, the bathroom door cracked open. Kylah's head poked around the edge of the door, looking very annoyed. "Yes, I'm in the shower, and no I'm not alone. Now, could you people kindly step out of the room so that I can retrieve my clothes?"

"Actually," Squall's voice called from behind her. "Could you all leave the suite entirely? My nearest clean clothes are over in my room, and I just really don't want to walk across the suite in this condition with you standing there."

"Where are we supposed to go?" Selphie wailed.

"Don't know, don't care," Squall replied, firmly.

"Hmph!" Selphie huffed. "You'd think he'd be in a better mood after all that hot-"

"OUT!" Squall roared from the confines of the bathroom.

Without another word, all four of his comrades scurried out of the suite before he had a chance to turn Lion Heart on them. Once in the safety of the palace corridor, all of them looked at one another in bewilderment.

"Did that really just happen?" Zell asked, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"I think so…" Quistis replied not sounding at all sure of herself.

Selphie was continuing to stroll down the corridor away from the suite.

"Where the heck you going?" Irvine asked her.

She stopped, turned and shrugged. "I'm gonna go find Sir Laguna," she replied as if it should be obvious where she was going. "I thought we should give a report to somebody, and Kylah's obviously occupied." She flashed a wicked grin.

The other three friends shrugged at each other, then followed Selphie down the corridor.

When they arrived at the Presidential Office, Selphie boldly breezed through the door without knocking. "Sir Laguna!" she cried, entering the room. "Good morning!"

Laguna had just seated himself at his desk to go over the morning reports. He stopped his hand just short of putting his coffee cup to his lips and looked up at the girl in surprise. "S-Selphie? Where did you come from?"

"From FH," she replied, cheerfully. She all but skipped into the room and plopped herself up on his desk. "We thought we'd drop in to say hello!"

Irvine clenched his fists at his sides and gritted his teeth. He hated the way his girlfriend acted when in the presence of Laguna Loire. It always seemed as if she suddenly said "Irvine who?"

Laguna peered past the SeeD members to see if anyone else had come with them. "Where are Squall and Kylah?"

"They're in Kylah's shower," Selphie replied, matter-of-factly.

Laguna, who had just gotten a large mouthful of coffee, immediately choked on it and sprayed it across his desk. "Together!" he managed to squeak.

"Yep," she said, cheerfully. "I walked into the bathroom to tell Kylah we had arrived, and BOOM! There they were! Squall threw us out so that they could get dressed."

"Oohhhkaaayyy…" Laguna said, staring at her in utter shock.

Ellone chose that moment to stroll into the room. "Hey guys!" she cried, delighted to see her friends. Catching sight of Laguna's stunned expression, she looked around. "What's going on."

"Selphie busted Kylah and Squall showering together," Zell replied mildly, flipping through a small notebook he'd pulled out of his pocket.

Elle appeared to digest this for a moment. "Well, I'm glad to see he took my advice," she finally quipped.

Quistis stared at her in amazement. "You TOLD him to sleep with her!"

Having recovered enough to take another swig of coffee for strength, Laguna immediately choked again. "Elle!" he sputtered.

She held her hands up in innocence. "All I told him was that he should move on with his life." An uncharacteristic smirk touched her lips. "Apparently he did. With gusto."

"Zell, what the heck are you doing over there?" Quistis asked, observing his wild flipping through his notebook.

"Well," he said, staring at a page in amazement, "I was looking to see how much I owe everyone from the betting pool, but as it turns out we actually have a winner."

"How did we do that?" Selphie questioned. "We were betting on which one would come out on top if Kylah and Squall tried to kill each other on this mission. They didn't kill each other!"

"Exactly," Zell replied, grinning. "Xu won the bet. She said they'd end up in bed together."

Irvine roared with laughter. He was still trying to catch his breath when Kylah stomped into the room, crossed her arms and glared around at her friends.

"Haven't any of you ever heard of knocking?" she demanded.

Irvine stepped over, draped an arm across her shoulders, and looked down at her with a smug smile. "Didn't I ever teach you to LOCK THE DOOR?"

"I wasn't expecting anyone until later," she huffed in annoyance.

"We caught an early train," Quistis replied, grinning mischeviously at her.

"Yeah," Selphie chimed in. "We came early 'cause Irvine wanted to grill you on why you've been so tired."

Kylah immediately stiffened. "I'm not at liberty to say," she replied, evenly.

"I think it's obvious WHY," Zell snickered under his breath.

She shot him a murderous look. "No, that's NOT why," she shot back. "I can't say why. Don't you guys have a report you need to give me."

"Yes, we do," Selphie replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "But we're not at liberty to say."

Before Kylah had a chance to retort, Squall stomped into the room wordlessly and glared at his friends.

Laguna looked up at him over the top of his coffee cup. "I guess I don't need to ask if you had a good night…." he mused,amusement tingeing his voice.

Irvine gave him a speculative look. "Why are YOU sointerested inthem sleeping together?" he questioned, suspiciously.

Selphie pointed at Laguna excitedly. "I knew it! You're having an illicit affair with Kylah, too!"

Laguna found his coffee sprayed neatly across his desk for the third time that morning. "What! That's crazy! She's young enough to be my daughter!"

The energetic brunette leaned over and looked at him suspiciously. "Is she your daughter?" she whispered, conspiratorially.

"No! Look," Laguna said, exasperatedly, "no one is sleeping with Laguna. Laguna is sleeping by himself! And Kylah is NOT my daughter!" he added, giving Selphie a pointed look.

"Why don't you guys just give me your report," Kylah interjected. "Whatever has been going on is Squall's business to discuss, and I highly doubt that he's ready to discuss it."

Four pairs of eyes swiveled over to look at Squall.

"Crap," he mumbled under his breath.

"We're not giving our report until Squall tells us what's going on," Selphie insisted.

"You can't do that!" Kylah protested.

"Watch us," Selphie replied, giving Squall a pointed look.

Squall looked thoughtfully at the ground for a long moment, his right hand resting on his hip. Finally he looked up and shot Laguna a questioning look. Laguna just shrugged as if to say "Whatever you want…"

"Okay," Squall finally said. "You know how we were all in the orphanage together because we had no parents? Well, it looks like for me that was only half true."

"Huh?" Quistis asked, confused.

"I've found my father," Squall continued, quietly.

"Reeeeally?" Selphie squealed excitedly. "Can we meet him?"

"You already have," he replied, taking a deep breath. "Laguna is my father."

Shocked silence filled the room. Selphie promptly fell off of the edge of Laguna's desk. Laguna, for his part, smiled up at Squall, grateful that his son was willing to admit that he was his father.

Quistis was the first to recover. She looked slowly back and forth between the two men. "You know, I do see a resemblance…"

"S-Sir L-Laguna is your f-f-f-father?" Selphie yelped as she struggled back to her feet.

"Woah," Zell breathed, amazed.

"It's not a big deal, okay?" Squall said. "Let's just get a report and get on with things."

His friends exchanged a quick glance. Obviously Squall was still coming to terms with some things involving his paternity. Irvine was the first to speak up.

"Well, um, so, like we did manage to get a possible description of two of the members of Punishment Syndicate," he said delicately, changing the subject and attention away from Squall andLaguna. "It's not very detailed, though."

"You could say that again," Selphie interjected rolling her eyes. "The description that we got is of a 'really big dude and a scary looking woman.'"

"Oh, great," Kylah snorted. "That could be any combination of instructors at Galbadia Garden."

"We also managed to find out that the members of Punishment Syndicate are forced to take a vow of silence when they join. So, if we're going to find any information out, it's going to be very difficult," Quistis added.

"There's more," Irvine continued. He glanced at Quistis. "There was an attempt on Quistis' life last night in FH. A member of Punishment Syndicate."

"What!" Kylah and Squall roared together. "Why didn't you call us last night?" Kylah added.

"Because we handled it," Zell piped up. "We took the guy down and sent him to the hospital. Unfortunately, he's unconscious now and can't tell us anything. He mentioned pulling Quistis' name off of a list."

"A list?" Laguna broke in. He leaned back in his desk chair, sipping his coffee thoughtfully. "None of this makes any sense. The bombing, the assassination attempt…. Who in their right mind would pull all of this stuff?"

"Look, we don't have any hard evidence on anyone yet," Kylah said, holding up a hand. "Let's allow SeeD intelligence to do their job and wait for their reports to come in. We can't do anything without good, hard, solid evidence."

"Meanwhile," a voice said from the door, "Galbadia is getting more and more pissed about the bombing."

Kiros, followed by Ward, stepped into the room and threw a stack of papers on Laguna's desk. "Latest reports on Galbadian military activity."

Laguna skimmed over it and frowned. "That doesn't look promising…"

"Don't worry, Sir Laguna," Selphie said, patting his arm. "We're here to protect you!"

"It's not me I'm worried about," he said. "It looks like I'm in good hands. It's the Estharian people that will have to go to battle if Galbadia invades."

Kylah sighed deeply. "Don't worry, Mr. President," she replied grimly. "We'll do everything in our power to prevent that from happening."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 – Revelations

Deep in the night, darkness and silence filled the SeeD suite of the Presidential Palace in Esthar.

In one room, Squall lay comfortably in his bed. His shoulder, now out of the sling, rested on a pillow as he lay flat on his back lost in a deep sleep. Occupying the room's other bed, Irvine snoozed peacefully on his stomach, arms wrapped around his pillow and his backside in the air. Zell had opted to crash in a sleeping bag on the floor. All three men were sound asleep, and oblivious to anything else in the world.

Across the suite, Kylah and Quistis were settled on opposite sides of the same bed, both snuggled deep under the covers. While they both had plenty of sleep room, they left a wide berth between them. Both women had refused to share a bed with Selphie, who was known to kick violently in her sleep.

The soft chirping of her cell phone pulled Kylah out of her deep slumber. Groaning, she pulled the pillows over her head and fumbled around on her nightstand for the phone. After several seconds, she managed to turn it on and place it up to her ear.

"'Lo," she mumbled sleepily. "Deraldi."

"Kylah, it's Cid," Garden's headmaster's voice filled her ear.

"Cid?" she replied, looking drowsily up at the alarm clock. The red digits on the clock read 5:00. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Yes, I'm afraid I do," he replied, grimly. "And what I have to tell you couldn't wait."

"Oh?" she asked, sitting up in bed. Suddenly she was wide awake and focused on the conversation. Next to her, Quistis sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. She listened attentively to Kylah's side of the conversation. Across the room, Selphie sleepily grumbled and rolled over, away from the light.

"I just received word that one of our SeeD sent to Deling city to gather intelligence was found dead late last night."

"What?" she gasped, eyes widening in shock. "How on Earth…?"

"Kylah, it looks like the young man was struck down by a gunblade. Now, there aren't too many gunblade specialists out there…"

"But Squall was here the whole time," Kylah protested, offended by what she perceived Cid to be insinuating.

"I'm not talking about Squall," he replied, gently. "Talk to your comrades. See if they draw the conclusion that I have. And all of you deal with this as you see fit. Good night, Kylah." With that, he hung up the phone.

The redhead was left staring at her cell phone in disbelief and confusion. What was Cid talking about?

"What's going on?" Quistis asked, gently pulling Kylah out of her thoughts.

Kylah looked up at her friend with a confused look, as if she had forgotten that she wasn't alone in the room. "Go wake the others," she finally said, firmly. "We all need to talk."

Nodding, Quistis jumped up out of bed, tugged a protesting Selphie out from beneath her covers, then strode across the suite to wake the guys.

Moments later, a grumbling Irvine, Zell and Squall entered the sitting room. They all found Selphie curled up in a chair, yawning, and Kylah pacing the floor with a frown on her face.

"What's going on?" Squall asked, concern showing on his face. His voice sounded sleep roughened, and his eyes were a bit bleary.

"Yeah," Irvine added. He was shirtless and clad in a pair of sleep pants, his long hair tousled. "What gives waking us up so early?"

Quistis quietly took a seat on the end of a couch, and Irvine flopped down beside her, yawning. Zell slid sleepily into the floor, leaning back against the couch and looking expectantly up at Kylah.

She surveyed the faces around her. All of them were looking to her, expecting an explanation and direction. With an apologetic look to each of them, she spoke. "Sorry for having to wake you, but I just got a call from Cid, and I thought you all should be aware of it."

Taking a deep breath, she continued. "A SeeD member, sent to gather intelligence, was killed in Deling City last night. It looks like the weapon of choice was a gunblade."

A stunned silence filled the room.

Letting out a long breath, Quistis was the first to recover. "Why didn't I see it before?" Punishment Syndicate. Discipline Committee. Disciplinary Committee."

"Seifer," Selphie whispered, eyes wide.

Squall swore under his breath and turned to face a nearby window.

"Really big dude and a scary looking woman. I'd be willing to bet Raijin and Fujin," Irvine mused.

Kylah looked around to all of them, confusion on her face. "Who is Seifer, and who are Raijin and Fujin?"

Squall turned from the window to face her. "Seifer is the one that I can thank for this," he said, pointing to the scar on his forehead. "He was a SeeD trainee with us at Garden for years. During the last Sorceress War, he was Sorceress Edea's lapdog. Hasn't really been heard from much since then. Fujin and Raijin were his cohorts. His posse."

"So you think they're behind all of this?" she asked.

"It fits," Zell observed. "He's always had a vendetta out against Squall. Maybe the bombing wasn't meant to target Laguna or President Caraway."

Kylah's blue eyes rested on Squall's grey-blue ones. "Maybe the target was you," she whispered, fear rising up in her throat.

"If that's the case," Quistis interjected, "then he almost succeeded. Seifer won't give up until he's achieved his goal."

The room was quiet as the whole room digested this information. A sudden thought occurred to Squall, and his eyes widened with sudden panic. "Cass…" he whispered, suddenly fearing for his daughter.

Kylah nodded, understanding his concern. "I'll alert Cid and have him keep her under lock and key around the clock. He won't take any chances with her life."

Squall nodded and heaved a brief sigh, fighting against the urge to take the first ship he could find back to Garden. The second they were finished with this conversation, he'd be calling Cid himself and having Cass brought directly to him.

"So," Selphie's voice spoke up from the floor, "what do we do next?"

Kylah sighed and folded her arms over her chest. "I was hoping that one of you guys might have an idea, because I'm fresh out on this one."

"Our biggest problem," Quistis spoke up, "is that we have no proof. We have suspicions, and circumstantial evidence, but no sound, solid proof. Without that, we really can't go accusing someone."

"I'd bet Exeter that it was him," Irvine mused, running a hand through his hair, looking annoyed.

"Well, then," Kylah said, eyes resting on each of them in turn. "Our next objective is to find the proof – and Seifer. When was the last time anyone saw him?"

"Years," Zell piped up. "Rinoa was still aliv—" he cut himself off and shot a quick, apprehensive glance at Squall. To his relief, Squall was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to take notice of Zell's casual comment. Either that, or he simply didn't particularly care.

"I think," Kylah began, but was interrupted by the chirp of her cell phone in the pocket of her robe. "What's with everyone calling so early today?" she muttered, pulling it out and flipping it on. "Deraldi," she said, briskly.

"Hey, Kylah, sorry to wake you so early," Kiros' voice greeted her. He sounded both sleepy and grim.

"It's alright," she replied. "I was awake. You're not the first one to call me this morning. What's up?"

"The presidential guard apprehended two unsavory looking characters trying to break into the palace just a little while ago. How they managed to get that far, I'm not entirely sure. But they claim to be with the organization known as Punishment Syndicate."

Kylah's expression grew serious, drawing the attention of her comrades who stopped their chatter and focused on Kylah.

"Kylah, they're asking to speak to you. All of you. They specifically said that they wanted to talk to SeeD. Now, I can either set you up in an interrogation room with them, or I can just ship them straight to jail and be done with it. Your choice."

"We'll talk to them," Kylah replied without hesitation. "Maybe they can actually offer some information that will break this thing."

"No problem, Kylah. Third floor. They should be there in fifteen minutes."

"Thanks, Kiros," she said, and shut down her phone.

She looked around at her teammates with a speculative grin. "We just might have the break we've been looking for."

* * *

A half an hour later, all six of them were hurrying through the corridors of the Presidential Palace toward the interrogation room. They had taken their time making their way down, allowing the prisoners time to sit and stew for a few minutes. Though none of the SeeD's were exactly dressed for the day, they were all at least in some decent style of dress. Kylah, Quistis, and Selphie all had robes belted over their nightgowns, and the guys had all thrown on t-shirts with their sleep pants. They would bother with real clothes later. Right now, they were ready to get down to business.

"Let's do this," Kylah said grimly, as she reached to open the door. As soon as they all stepped through, shock registered on the faces of five of the mercenaries.

"I never thought I'd see _you_ again," Squall muttered, not entirely pleased to see the occupants of the room.

Raijin and Fujin both looked up from the solitary table in the center of the room and met Squall's level gaze, each with a slightly sheepish expression.

"We didn't do nothin', Squall! I swear!" Raijin protested, throwing his hands in the air innocently.

"You didn't do anything?" Kylah repeated, stepping up beside Squall. "How about attempting to break into the Presidential Palace in the middle of the night? You know, there was an assassination attempt made on these very grounds a few days ago. It could be said that this is entirely too coincidental. It wouldn't take very much persuasion at all for a person to come to the conclusion that you were behind the bombing, that it was intended to be an attack on Esthar's president, and that you were breaking in to finish the job."

Fujin and Raijin exchanged a panicked look, then shifted their gazes up to Kylah.

"EXPLAIN!"

"Yeah, Fujin's right!" Raijin said. "We can explain!"

"You'd better be able to," a voice spoke up from behind the six SeeD gathered around the table. "Because you're in a heap of trouble if you don't."

Clad in a t-shirt, baggy pants, and slippers, Laguna Loire strode into the room. Selphie, Zell, and Quistis stepped aside to allow him to step up to the table. Laguna fisted his hands on the table, leaned over, and looked back and forth between the chastised duo.

"Right now you're in the custody of the Estharian government. As their president, I have the power to either fix this for you, or end life as you both know it. So, I'd choose my words carefully and come up with a damn good explanation if I were you. Because, as it stands, I have your proverbial balls in a vice and my hand on the lever to start squeezing."

Kylah stepped back and shot Laguna an admiring look. Most of the time he was impulsive, goofy, and charming. But when he was of the mind to act presidential and authoritative, even she wouldn't cross him.

"It wasn't us, I swear!" Raijin replied, shooting Laguna a pleading look.

"Go on," Quistis said, folding her arms over her chest and leaning against the wall.

"SEIFER."

"Yeah, Fuijin's right. Seifer… he's acted nutso since the Ultimecia deal, ya know? He just ain't been the same since, ya know?"

"What do you mean, 'since the Ultimecia deal'?" Zell muttered from the corner.

Kylah shot him a dirty look to silence him. "So, Seifer is behind all of this?" she asked, keeping her expression neutral.

"Yeah, he has been for a long time, ya know? Starting a few years ago, when Rinoa died."

Irvine blinked. "When Rinoa died?"

"PAID."

"Yeah, Seifer paid him to do the deed. Said he didn't wanna dirty his own hands with it, ya know?"

Kylah felt Squall tense beside her. She cast a quick glance in his direction, and saw fury beginning to build in his eyes. She placed a calming hand on his arm, a silent warning to control his temper for now.

"Did Seifer have anything to do with the bombing here in Esthar a few days ago?" she asked, stepping between Squall and the two prisoners.

"YES."

"Seifer has been saying for a while that he was cheated when Ultimecia was defeated, ya know? Said that he should be the one ruling the world, just like she promised. He figured that if he stopped that treaty, he'd have an opening, ya know? And when he found out that Squall was going to be there, it made it all the better, ya know?"

Kylah gritted her teeth. If he said "ya know?" one more time, she'd scream… ya know?

"What did I have to do with anything?" Squall asked, a neutral tone barely veiling anger boiling beneath the surface.

"He blames you for his dreams not coming true, ya know? You took Rinoa. You defeated Ultimecia. He thinks you took everything from him, ya know? So, he wants to take everything from you."

The revelation made Kylah's blood run cold. The implications of that statement could be devastating. If this were true, how far would Seifer go to get his revenge? This would mean that Squall's life was in danger. Cass. If word got out of his paternity, Laguna's life could be in danger. Ellone.

Even her.

"What happened with the bombing?" Laguna spoke up, putting a reassuring hand on Kylah's shoulder, and gently reminding her that they were there to get information.

"Seifer planted a member of Punishment Syndicate in among the press, ya know? Created a fake press pass and all. The bomb was inside of the camera. At the very least, it would stop the treaty from being signed, ya know?"

"SQUALL."

"We came to you guys, 'specially Squall, because we want you to know that we had nothing to do with this. Seifer has really gone off the deep end, ya know? Somethin's been screwy with his mind since he was involved with Ultimecia. We tried to talk him out of this, but he wouldn't listen, ya know? We're still his posse, but we don't agree with any of this. We want out, and we want him to get some kind of help, ya know?"

"DELING CITY."

"That's right. Seifer is planning an attack on Deling City to take it over, ya know? Once he does that, he's planning to come right for Esthar. We tried to tell him it was a bad idea. So, we thought maybe you guys could stop him, ya know?"

The room fell silent, as everyone stood around looking at each other, absorbing all that had been said. Finally, Laguna spoke up, his tone still mildly stern. "We need a chance to think this over and talk it over. You two wait here for a while. I'll let you know what we decide."

They silently nodded, looking firmly chastised as Laguna motioned for everyone else to follow him out of the room. Once they were out of the interrogation room, he pointed to the elevator nearby. "My office," he said, firmly. "We can talk there, securely."

The elevator ride upstairs was filled with grim silence, each one of its occupants absorbed in their own thoughts. The second they were secure in Laguna's office, everyone seemed to spring to life.

Squall was the first to speak. "I want to get on the phone with Balamb Garden, now," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I don't care what anyone thinks or has to say, I want Cassidy here, now, where I can keep an eye on her."

Laguna paused on his way to his desk long enough to pat Squall comfortingly on his good shoulder. "Videophone is over there," he said, pointing. "And Ragnarok is at your disposal." The same fear for Cassidy's safety that resonated in Squall's eyes shone in Laguna's as well. Neither one of them were willing to put her in jeopardy.

As Squall stepped over to the phone to speak with Cid, Laguna snapped up his cell phone and dialed a number. "Kiros," he said in way of greeting. "I need you and Ward up here as soon as you can be."

"We need to get word to Deling City," Quistis said. "And soon."

"I know," Laguna replied. "As soon as Ragnarok gets back with Cassidy, I'm heading that way."

Kylah folded her arms over her chest and eyed Laguna. "The hell you are," she said, raising an eyebrow and daring him to argue with her.

Laguna returned the look with ferocity. "I thought I was employing you. Since when do you get to call the shots?"

The petite redhead stepped up to him, hands on hips. "Since you put me in charge of your personal security," she reminded him, bluntly. "In case you weren't paying attention, Seifer wants the entire world on a silver platter. The only way he's going to be able to manage that is to take out the world's two superpowers – Galbadia and Esthar. If you go to Deling City right now, you're giving him an easy target; you and Caraway in the same place. I can't let you do that, Laguna."

Her eyes softened. "Besides that, how long do you think it will be before the truth of Squall's paternity is spread through the entire country? Most of the staff here in the palace knows. It's only a matter of time. And once that gets out, Laguna, your life is in as much danger as Squall's, if not more so. Seifer did say that he wanted to take everything that matters to Squall from him."

Laguna flinched and reached up to rub the back of his neck. _Man, she does know how to hit a guy where it hurts_, he grumbled to himself. Admitting defeat, he looked away from Kylah and stepped over to his desk. "I'll concede on this one," he finally said, grumpily. "But I hate feeling so helpless."

"If Laguna isn't going to Deling City," Selphie piped up, "then who is?"

"Irvine and I are," Kylah replied, shooting Irvine a sharp look.

The gunslinger looked surprised. "Why us?" he asked, sounding confused.

Squall had disconnected the videophone just in time to hear Kylah's announcement. "Yeah, why you?" he asked, his displeasure with the situation evident.

"Irvine and I both grew up in Galbadia Garden. We know Deling City like the back of our hand. If we run into any trouble, we can get ourselves out of it more easily than anyone else could. Besides," she continued, reasonably, "if nothing else, I can suck up my pride and pull favors with my parents to get an audience with President Caraway. I might not like having to do it, but it will work if nothing else will."

Squall caught her gaze across the room. She could see by the expression in his eyes that he did not like the idea of her walking into a potentially dangerous situation.

"Well," Laguna said, sounding a bit reluctant. "I suppose it's decided then. You guys can leave as soon as the Ragnarok returns."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

As the six SeeD entered their suite in the Presidential Palace to get dressed for the day, everyone expected Squall to go immediately to get dressed so that he could retrieve his daughter. Instead, he grabbed Kylah by the arm once they passed through the door, steered her into her room, and shut the door behind him – right in Selphie's indignant face.

"Hey!" she called, pounding on the door. "I gotta get dressed too!" Silence was her only answer. "Fiiiiine," she finally huffed, plopping herself down on the couch, and giving Quistis a helpless look.

Quistis only shrugged. "I'm sure he'll be out in a minute," she said, calmly.

"For his sake, I hope so," Selphie growled, glaring at the door.

Inside of the room, Kylah was giving Squall her own look of indignance. "What the heck was that all about?" she asked, pulling away from him and looking up at him with a baffled expression.

"I don't want you to go on this mission," Squall replied firmly, his jaw set at a stubborn angle.

"Wait… What?" Kylah asked, sounding confused. "Why not? It makes the most logistical sense for me and Irvine to go.

He looked down at her, his gaze intense. "It's a dangerous mission, Kylah. The others have been to Deling City many times before as well; let one of them go. Stay here and see to Laguna's security, like you were hired to."

"Laguna also hired us to diffuse this situation," she pointed out. "I'm the best chance we have of smoothing things over with Galbadia right now, and you know it as well as I do. Yeah, it's a little dangerous, but no more so than a whole slew of other missions that I've been on."

"I just don't think–" he began.

"Squall," Kylah said, holding up a hand to interrupt him. "I appreciate your sense of chivalry and protection here. But I'm a big girl. I'm perfectly capable of handling myself in Deling City, despite what you obviously think. Now," she said, "I have to get dressed and gather some things together. And I believe that your daughter is waiting for you. I'll talk to you later." Without further word, she turned her back on him and stalked into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

But not before Squall caught the hurt expression in her eyes.

Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose, cursed softly under his breath, then strode over, yanked the bedroom door open, and stalked across the sitting room to his own room.

"Finally!" Selphie called, running into the bedroom.

Quistis observed the rather disgruntled expression on Squall's face, but wisely decided it was best not to ask. Quietly, she followed Selphie's lead, and went in to put on some real clothes.

Squall stormed into the bedroom he was now sharing with Irvine and Zell. He found Zell engaged in a series of pushups to get his day off right. Irvine looked up from the mirror he was standing in front of, shaving, as Squall burst in. Noting the stormy expression on Squall's face, he calmly turned back to the mirror as Squall began to noisily gather up clean clothes from his dresser drawers.

"Have a fight with Kylah?" Irvine asked, knowingly.

His only reply was a dark glare.

Irvine was silent for several minutes. The only sound from his direction was the gentle scrape of his razor over his stubbled cheeks. Finally, he rinsed the razor off, patted his face dry, and turned to look at Squall. "You want my advice?" he asked.

Squall rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah. That's exactly what I want," he replied, sarcastically. "More advice on women from the great Irvine Kinneas."

Slightly offended, Irvine raised an eyebrow. "How about advice from someone who has not only known Kylah for years, but also has a fairly good idea of what you're going through right now."

Turning back to his dresser, Squall snorted. "What would you know about how I'm feeling right now?" he asked, sulkily.

Irvine sighed and shook his head. "Do you think it's any easier for me to watch Selphie head out on some of those dangerous missions she gets sent out on?" he asked, his tone uncharacteristically soft.

For the first time since he had entered the room, Squall paused. Slowly, he turned to look at Irvine, a questioning look on his face.

"There's something I think you need to hear, Leonheart, and all I ask is that you stop, listen, and let it sink into that thick head of yours." Irvine paused for dramatic effect, then continued. "Kylah is not Rinoa," he finally said.

"Really?" Squall said, a touch of impatience and sarcasm in his voice. "You're kidding me!"

"What I mean by that is," Irvine continued, shooting him a silencing look, "they're different people, and they're going to have different needs."

"Rinoa was a great girl," he said, fond remembrance on his face. "We all adored her. But she was… well, she was a little helpless. She needed you to protect her, take care of her. She needed someone that she could stand behind and support, but that she knew would be her shield from the rest of the world."

"Kylah's a lot tougher than that," he added, a grin spreading over his face. "She's strong, capable, and can handle herself in even the worst of situations. She doesn't need someone to protect her – if she needs protecting, she is more than happy to take care of it herself. She needs someone to stand beside her, not in front of her."

Squall started to speak, but Irvine held up a hand to quiet him. "I'm not finished," he said, "so shut up and listen." Once he was certain that Squall wouldn't interrupt again, he continued. "I know you went into that room and demanded that Kylah not go on this mission, and I imagine that she's pretty hurt and angry with you right now. And, honestly, I don't blame her."

"She's not an ordinary girl, Squall. She's a SeeD. Kylah has gone through the same training that you and I have. You went in there, and though you didn't intend it that way, you questioned her ability to do her job, a job that in a lot of ways defines her."

"I guess," he finished up, jamming his hands in his pockets, "what I'm trying to say is, if you're going to be involved with Kylah, you're going to have to accept her for who she is, and not try and change her into someone that she's not. Because, by asking her not to do what she thinks is right, you're asking her to be someone other than Kylah."

Squall was silent for several moments, allowing Irvine's words to sink in. Finally, he heaved a sigh and looked up. "I guess I owe her an apology," he said, sounding defeated.

Irvine grinned and patted him on the shoulder as he walked by. "I'd give her time to cool off, first," he advised. "She packs one hell of a punch when she's angry."

A small chuckle escaped Squall's lips. "Yeah… Just ask Laguna and his stomach."

* * *

Laguna stood with Ellone on the landing deck of the Esthar Airstation, fidgeting nervously. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kylah and Irvine standing together, deep in conversation. He figured that they were discussing the particulars of this trip to Deling City, and wanted to stay out of their way. Besides, he had other things on his mind.

They were waiting for Squall's return from Balamb Garden in the Ragnarok with his daughter, Cassidy. Laguna had mixed feelings about the impending arrival of Cassidy: excitement, and sheer terror.

"Do you think she'll like me?" he asked Ellone, shifting his weight back and forth nervously.

Ellone rested a comforting hand on his back. "I've yet to meet a small child that didn't like you. You're like a big kid yourself. She'll adore you."

"I hope you're right," Laguna said, anxiously. A gentle breeze picked up on the landing pad, and he reached up absently to brush his hair out of his face. He didn't recall having been this nervous since the first time that he met Squall. _She's a kid_, he told himself. _Give her some ice cream, and she'll be thrilled with you_.

But would it really be that easy?

"There they are!" Ellone cried, happily, pointing to the rapidly approaching Ragnarok.

Laguna took a deep, bracing breath. _C'mon, Loire, get it together. You've spoken to her once. This won't be nearly as hard as you think it will be. Then again, there's a big difference between a videophone and real, live flesh. What if she hates me? Oh, Hyne, I hope not. I don't think I could handle it if my only grandchild hated me. Grandchild! Can I keep up with a grandchild? I'm not as young as I used to be…_

He probably would have continued this internal monologue indefinitely if the Ragnarok hadn't landed. He swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on the closed door to the ship. Butterflies kicked up in his stomach as the door slid open. Seconds later, Squall appeared, strolling down the ramp with a small, dark-haired girl alongside him, chattering a thousand miles a minute.

"And then this bite bug came up, and Ma Dincht hit it, but it FARTED on her! Daddy, it really FARTED on her! And we ran and ran back to Balamb, and then—" Cassidy interrupted herself when she caught sight of a familiar face across the landing pad. "Ellone!" she squealed, and ran across the pad to her aunt's waiting arms.

Ellone grinned, squatted down, and met Cassidy with a hug. "Goodness you've grown," she said, hugging her niece tightly.

Cass grinned at her. "Matron says that I grow like a weed! That must be really fast, because she's always saying that my clothes don't fit anymore." Cass looked around, and looked up at Laguna, who was standing and grinning at her affectionately. She grinned up at him. "Mr. President Laguna!" she said. "I talked to you on the phone!"

Laguna squatted in front of her, smiled, and nodded. "You sure did," he said. "And now I'm glad I get to see you in person."

Squall silently stood by and watched their exchange with amusement. He desperately wanted to speak with Kylah, who he had seen across the landing pad, before she left, but he wouldn't miss this for the world.

"Me too!" Cass enthused. She grew quiet for a moment, looking him over. "My daddy told me something funny about you," she said, for the first time in her life looking a little shy.

Still smiling warmly, Laguna tilted his head and shot Squall a brief, questioning look. "What did he tell you?" he asked, cautiously.

Cass hesitated, looked up at him, then blurted it all out in one rush. "Mydaddysaidthatyou'rehisdaddyandthatbecauseyou'rehisdaddythenyou'remygrandpa."

Laguna's breath caught in his throat, and his eyes briefly rose to meet Squall's. The younger man smiled slightly, and nodded just a bit. A grateful smile entered Laguna's eyes, and he turned his attention back to Cass. Clearing emotion out of his throat, he nodded. "Yeah, your daddy is right. I am his daddy," he said. He knew that there were still a lot of things to be worked out between he and Squall, but his son had just given him one of the greatest gifts he could.

Cass gazed at him for a moment, giving that careful consideration. And then, a wide grin spread over her small face and she launched herself at him, throwing her small arms around his neck in a tight hug. Laguna looked momentarily startled, then with a smile, tightly returned the hug.

Ellone smiled at the duo, then stepped over to Squall. "That was a kind thing that you did for Laguna," she said, grinning up at him.

Squall watched his daughter with his father. "I may still have my issues to work out with him, but I didn't see any reason to rob the two of them of a chance to get to know each other," he admitted. "I think Laguna has been robbed of enough in his lifetime." His eyes came to rest on Kylah, who was obviously in final preparations with Irvine to leave. "I'll be right back," he said. "There's something else I need to make right."

He caught her by the arm just as she was starting to walk up the walkway. Irvine breezed past them, and grinned at Squall. "See you when we get back, man," he said, and walked up the walkway, whistling.

"I need to talk to you before you go," Squall said to Kylah, refusing to let go of her arm.

She sighed, and looked up at him, her eyes full of hurt and annoyance. "I need to be going," she replied, coolly.

"Then I'll make it fast," he said, still refusing to let her go until he spoke his peace. "I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. I was wrong to question your ability to handle this mission." He sighed, and looked down. "I'm not used to being with a woman who is so independent and capable. I'll need to adjust," he finished, giving her a pleading look.

Kylah sighed, and looked up at him. "I won't pretend that it didn't hurt," she said, "but I kinda understand." She smiled, slightly. "Just don't let it happen again, Leonheart."

"You be careful out there," he said, running a finger along her cheek. "I know you can handle yourself but still… be careful."

Rapidly softening, she smiled back up at him. "I will. And I'll be back soon." Then, standing on tiptoe, she brought her lips up to his in a kiss that he fervently returned.

"Wooooooooooo!" called a small, childlike voice from across the landing pad. "Daddy's kissing Miss Kylah!"

The duo broke apart and looked across the landing pad with flushed cheeks. Cass was grinning broadly at them, while Laguna and Ellone both chuckled with amusement.

"I'll be going now," Kylah said, her cheeks crimson with embarrassment. "I'll catch you when I get back." And with that, she disappeared into the ship.

Red-faced, Squall strolled back over to his family so that the ship could take off. "Daddy, did you like kissing Kylah?" Cassidy asked, a knowing look on her impish face.

Squall flushed even more, and pointedly ignored the question. "Let's go see about finding some ice cream," he said, gruffly.

Laughing, Laguna scooped the giggling Cassidy up and started to walk toward the transport to the palace. "I think that can be arranged."

* * *

"That looks like a good landing spot over there," Irvine said, pointing to the edge of a forest near Deling City. Smoothly, he began the descent toward the ground.

"Where'd you learn to fly this thing so well?" Kylah asked, leaning over his shoulder to watch their landing through the front windows.

"Selphie taught me," he replied, easing down for the final approach. "She flies it amazingly well. And loves doing it."

"So I've heard," Kylah grinned. By this time they had safely come to a stop. "Let's go," she said, grabbing a knapsack from a nearby chair. "We've got a little walking to do."

They exited the Ragnarok, and started in the direction of Deling City. "Hold on a sec," Irvine said, pausing to turn around and look at the ship. He retrieved a remote from his pocket, and clicked a button. The walkway retracted, sealing the ship up securely. Another button, and it vanished completely.

Kylah raised an eyebrow. "Cloaking technology? Nice."

"The entire city of Esthar used to be surrounded by this stuff. It was easy enough to install on the Ragnarok," Irvine replied, grinning, and flipping the remote in the air before returning it to his pocket.

They chatted amiably as they walked along, talking about casual things such as Selphie. He tried hard, but Irvine was unsuccessful in weaseling out of Kylah many details of the relationship that she and Squall were developing. They purposefully kept the conversation inconsequential, just in case someone were to overhear them.

"I haven't been to see my parents in a while," Kylah said, shooting Irvine a pointed look, as they passed the Galbadia Hotel. "I think I'd like to go visit them."

Irvine took the hint, and began walking in the direction of the ritzier section of Deling City. Within a few minutes, they had arrived at the Deraldi manse. "Let's get this over with," Kylah said, ringing the bell. A moment later, the butler came to the door.

"Miss Deraldi!" he said, sounding quite surprised to see her.

"I need to speak with my father," she said without preamble. "It's urgent."

"Of course, Miss Deraldi," he said, still looking startled. "Right this way."

Irvine whistled softly as they were ushered through the house. "Nice digs," he commented. "Why was it that you abandoned this place in favor of Garden?"

Kylah shot him a look as they followed the butler into her father's study. As they stepped into the room, Ambassador Deraldi looked up, shocked to see his daughter, and dropped the book he was holding. "Kylah!" he cried, standing to his feet. "What are you doing here?"

Irvine closed the door behind them. "We need to talk," Kylah said, stepping over to her father's desk. "Esthar was not behind that attack, and you know it as well as I do."

Ambassador Deraldi eyed her warily. "You're still working for _them_, aren't you?" he asked. His gaze slipped briefly over Irvine. "You had the nerve to come all the way here with your boyfriend to defend _them_ after what happened?"

Kylah and Irvine exchanged an amused look. "For starters," Kylah began, fighting a laugh, "Irvine Kinneas is NOT my boyfriend. That would be entirely too much like dating my brother." She paused and shuddered briefly. "Secondly, I'll be the first to admit that I'm under the employ of Esthar for the moment. I'm here because President Loire has asked us to diffuse this situation and clear his name with Galbadia. And I will not leave until I've achieved that objective."

Her father shot her an icy look. "Give me one good reason why I should listen to you, Kylah? You have no loyalties. Or, rather, I should say that your loyalties go to the highest bidder. You and your kind will do anything and defend anyone as long as you're on their payroll."

Irvine's eyebrow raised. "Now wait just a damn minute there—" he began, but was cut off by Kylah's silencing hand.

Coolly, she stepped up to her father, and looked him unwaveringly in the eye. "You may not approve of the life that I lead, but this is the life that I've chosen for myself. I'm not just here because President Loire is paying me to deal with this situation; I'm here because I believe in him, and I've promised him my loyalty. It's personal, not just professional." She paused, reached her hand into her jacket, and pulled out a video disk. She held it up for him, and continued. "You see this? It's the recorded confession of two former members of an insurgent group called Punishment Syndicate, admitting to having a hand in the attack."

Her gaze darkened as she lifted her chin. "Whatever has happened between you and me, I have never lied to you. And I never will."

Irvine watched this exchange from the vantage point of leaning against a nearby wall. His eyes reflected admiration as Kylah defended her position, and offered her father proof. Her cards were on the table, and the move was in his court. Irvine could see the old man battle momentarily with indecisiveness, struggling between years of disdain and new respect. Finally, he sighed with defeat.

"Let's go see President Caraway," he said. "If there is a problem like this, he needs to know about it."

"I need to know about what?" a voice said from the door. Kylah and Irvine both turned around to find Caraway standing in the door, surveying the scene. His gaze came to rest on both Kylah and Irvine, and his gaze hardened. "SeeD. What are you doing here?"

Again, Kylah and Irvine exchanged a look. "Hey, Mr. President," Irvine drawled casually. "Long time, no see."

Kylah fought a grin as President Caraway shot him a disdainful look, then turned his attention to Kylah. "Miss Deraldi," he said. "To what do we owe this pleasure."

"Mr. President," she greeted. Bypassing any other formalities, she held out the videodisk. "I have in my hand the recorded confession of two members of an insurgent group known as Punishment Syndicate. In this confession, these two admit to their group's involvement in the attack that occurred during the planned signing of the peace treaty between your country and Esthar, and even go so far as to name the group's leader."

"Mr. President," she continued, "this is conclusive proof that Esthar was not behind that attack. President Loire is still very interested in signing that peace treaty. He firmly believes that if this world is going to progress, then we all need to lay aside our differences for the common good. He sincerely hopes that you share that belief."

You could have heard a pin drop in the room. The silence was absolutely deafening as Kylah and the President stared one another down, each daring the other to back down. Finally, President Caraway began to chuckle, a deep, amused chuckle from the deepest part of his belly. "I will give you this much, Miss Deraldi; you have pluck. There is truly nothing that frightens you, is there?"

Briefly, Kylah's mind drifted back to an image of Squall lying still and silent in the hospital bed in Esthar. "I wouldn't go so far as to say that, sir," she admitted. "I'm human, just like everyone else."

Smiling, he took the videodisk from her. "I'll review this," he promised. "If everything checks out exactly as you described, then you can go back to Esthar and inform President Loire that I will be in touch to reschedule—"

"Mr. President! Mr. President!"

They were interrupted as the Deraldi's butler came rushing into the room, out of breath. "Mr. President! Ambassador! The house is under attack!"

"What!" cried every other person in the room. He had everyone's full and undivided attention.

The butler paused, his hands braced on his thighs as he tried to catch his breath. "The house, sir," he said, addressing President Caraway. "I guess someone saw you come to see Ambassador Deraldi, sir. We're under attack! The house is completely surrounded, and the perpetrators are on the verge of getting in, sir."

At that moment, they could hear a thundering crash from down the hall, signaling that the front door had indeed been broken in.

"We gotta boogie," Irvine said, shooting a quick glance around the room for an escape.

"This used to be my house," President Caraway spoke up, "before I took office. There's an escape passage behind that statue."

"Wait!" Ambassador Deraldi interrupted. "My wife!"

Kylah froze in mid stride to the statue, and turned to look at her father. He was right; they couldn't leave her mother behind. After a split second of indecision, she spun around to look at Irvine.

"Go," she said, pointing to the statue.

"What!" he said. "K, have you lost your mind?"

"No, I haven't," she replied, calmly. "Someone needs to stay and protect the President and the Ambassador and his wife. You're too easily recognized. Slip out, and take the Ragnarok back to Esthar. Bring backup. I'll stay here."

Before Irvine could protest, Kylah had the door to the passage open. "Kinneas," she began, and then paused and cringed when a loud bang sounded on the door to the study. "Irvine, I'm not asking you this as your friend; I'm giving you an order as the commander of this mission. Now go!"

Irvine sighed and dashed to the door. "You are the single most stubborn woman I've ever met," he said as he passed through the door. "I'll be back. Be careful, or Squall will kill me for leaving you behind."

The door to the passage slid shut just as the door to the study banged open. Kylah spun on her heel to face the smoking wreck of the door, and silently prayed that Irvine managed to make it out. Carefully, she stepped over to stand between her father and President Caraway. "I'm not a SeeD," she said under her breath, just loud enough for the two of them to hear. "I'm just the Ambassador's daughter."

As the dust settled, a tall younger man strode arrogantly into the room. He had short, blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. He wore a long, pale-grey coat, and had a gunblade slung casually over one shoulder. His eyes rested first on the frightened butler, who obviously amused him. The man chuckled, then kicked the butler, sending him flying into a nearby bookshelf. He then looked at the Ambassador. "Ambassador Deraldi," he said with mock respect. His gaze drifted over Kylah, looking her up and down in a way that made her decidedly uncomfortable. Finally, he looked up at President Caraway, and grinned. "Mr. President," he drawled, grinning darkly. "It's been a long time."

"I'm afraid—" Caraway began, but was cut off.

"You don't remember me? Awww… That's too bad. I dated your daughter for a while, several years ago. Since you're obviously having memory troubles, let me refresh it for you." He flashed a dark grin, and slammed his gunblade into the floor. "My name is Seifer Almsay. Pleased to meet you all."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20 – A Nasty Confrontation

Hours had passed since Seifer had blasted into the study. Once he had come in, he had declared the President, the Ambassador, his wife, and his daughter, all under house arrest. He had said that Deling City was now under the control of Punishment Syndicate, and that the rest of Galbadia was next. His first action had been to split them all up, sending them to different rooms of the house so that they couldn't talk to one another and plan an escape. Kylah had been roughly shoved into a room that she'd never been inside of in her life, then left alone.

For hours, she had paced restlessly back and forth in the small room. Every peek out the window had revealed that the house was completely surrounded by heavily armed members of Punishment Syndicate, some of which in a heated standoff with Galbadian soldiers. At least someone was trying to get them out.

The other light at the end of her tunnel was that in their brief search of her person, Seifer and his goons had not discovered the dirk she had hidden under her jacket, on her back. They had patted only her sides, which still left her armed if necessary. The downside was that she had been in this house only twice since her parents had taken up residence here, and she had no idea where anything was. Even if she had the means to plan a grand escape, she had no clue where to go.

Which left her hopes pinned on Irvine. With a resigned sigh, she flopped down on the floor next to the bed that sat in the center of the room and leaned against it, gazing thoughtfully out the window, aching for even a glimpse of the Ragnarok flying over Deling City. _Kinneas_, she thought, _you sure as heck better get me out of here_.

* * *

The duo sat across from each other in the Presidential office, green eyes locked intently on green eyes. A firm scowl of intimidation was on each face, neither one willing to give in, both wanting to bring the other down. The silence between the two adversaries was almost deafening.

Finally, one spoke.

"You got any threes?" Laguna asked, his tone one of mock-seriousness.

Cassidy looked at her hand, then looked back up at him. "Go fish," she replied, her tone matching his.

"Aw, man," Laguna groaned with pseudo defeat, and made a dramatic production of drawing another card from the pile between them.

Across the room, Squall glanced up from the e-mail he was reading and chuckled at the two of them. Laguna had far more patience than he did for the games that Cassidy loved, willing to play round after round with her. At last count, they were starting their tenth hand of Go Fish.

Squall couldn't help but wonder if the patience came from a natural love of children, or the fact that Laguna was so grateful to finally be able to spend time with his only grandchild. Over the top of his laptop, Squall silently watched the older man for a moment. He had never seen so much joy and contentment in Laguna's face. For the first time, it dawned on Squall that, despite the busy life that Laguna led as Esthar's president, it was an empty life with no family or loved ones. With a pang, Squall realized just how much Laguna had missed out on. Sighing, he resolved to sort out any differences between them and spend time with Laguna as often as he could, once this mess with Galbadia and Punishment Syndicate was sorted out.

Stretching, Squall put aside his laptop and reached for the newspaper that had been delivered for Laguna but left untouched. Snapping it open, he began to scan the headlines, curious as to what had been happening in the world while he'd been cooped up the last few days.

One headline on the third page caught his eye. Briefly, he scanned the accompanying article. "Hmmm…" he murmured to no one in particular. "Didn't take them long to get hold of that one."

"Didn't take 'em long to get hold of what?" Laguna asked, shuffling the cards to deal another hand.

Squall read the headline out loud. "'SeeD Hero Revealed to be Presidential Love Child.'"

"WHAT!" Laguna cried, abandoning the game and scrambling over to check out the newspaper. His eyes scanned over the article, expression hardening with every word. "They didn't get any of the details right, other than the big one," he grumbled as he read.

Cassidy idly played with a penholder on Laguna's desk. "Daddy, what's a love child?" she asked, attempting to make a fort out of Laguna's collection of pens.

The two men exchanged a glance. Laguna bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to laugh. "I'll tell you when you're older, kid," Squall replied, sounding a bit helpless.

"Aw," Cass grumbled. "You always tell me that. I'm getting older every day! When will I be old enough?"

"When you are," he said. "Now pick up the cards if you're finished with them."

At that moment, the doors flew open and a very breathless looking Irvine Kinneas burst into the room, with Quistis, Zell, Selphie, Kiros, and Ward all hot on his heels. "Squall!" he said, catching sight of his friend. "Thank Hyne I found you!" Pausing, he panted, trying to catch his breath so he could speak.

"What's going on?" Squall asked, jumping up from the couch he was seated on. "Where's Kylah?"

"We've been trying to find that out," Zell replied, "but he just ran past us when we saw him, insisting that he had to speak with you."

By this time, Irvine had caught his breath enough to speak. He held up a hand to silence everyone and spoke, his words coming in ragged, breathy, choppy sentences. "Deling City is under attack. Or, I should say, Kylah's parents' house is under siege. Punishment Syndicate has the Deraldi's and President Caraway all held hostage in there, and is planning to use that as a base of operations for taking over the rest of Galbadia."

"You've got to be kidding me," Quistis said, disbelief in her voice. "Fujin and Raijin were right; Seifer has lost his mind."

"Where's Kylah?" Squall asked again, his jaw set grimly.

"Stubborn redhead stayed behind," Irvine grumbled. "She said that someone had to stay and protect the president and her parents, and I was too easily recognized. She ordered me to come back for backup, and she stayed to protect them."

Despite his concern for her safety, Squall couldn't help the swell of pride that he felt over her actions. _She really is brave, isn't she? _he thought, admiringly.

"If she needs backup," Selphie spoke up, "then we give her backup!"

"Selphie's right," Squall agreed. "We leave as soon as the Ragnarok is ready for departure again."

Everyone paused and turned to look suspiciously at Squall. "Can you even lift your gunblade right now?" Quistis asked, pointing to his injured shoulder.

Experimentally, he rolled the shoulder around to test it. Even the small action sent waves of pain shooting through his arm and shoulder, but he refused to admit that right now. "I can one-hand it," he said. "This arm is only for support anyway. We leave immediately." He paused, and glanced over at his father. "Can you…?" he asked, nodding at Cassidy.

Laguna smiled. "Elle and I will look after her. You guys go play cavalry for Kylah. And," he added, a more serious look touching his face, "if you can get President Caraway and the Deraldi's out, bring them back with you, too. If Deling City isn't safe, they can take refuge in Esthar."

"Thanks," Squall said, flashing him a brief smile. He stopped long enough to squat down in front of Cassidy. "You're going to stay here with Laguna while I go take care of something," he said. "But I'll be back soon."

"You gonna go help Kylah?" she asked, curiously. Her father nodded in reply. Cassidy nodded fiercely and said, "Go get her, Daddy, and make sure to kiss her again when you see her."

Despite himself, Squall smiled at the small girl. "I'll do that." Kissing her on the forehead as he stood, he said. "Be good. I'll be back."

He looked around at his friends, then jerked his head toward the door. "Let's go," he said, and took off to find the Ragnarok.

* * *

By now, boredom if nothing else had prompted Kylah to begin to prowl the bedroom she'd been placed in. She'd found nothing particularly interesting in the room, and had come to the conclusion that her parents likely used it as a guest room. Still, searching had given her something to occupy her time.

"Hey, you!" a voice suddenly spoke up from the doorway, startling her as she peered into a dresser drawer. She slammed it closed, and looked up at the young mercenary that stood in the door.

"What do you want?" she asked, shooting him an annoyed look.

"Seifer wants to see you," he said. "So let's get going."

Reluctantly, she allowed herself to be led down the hall. Her mind raced, wondering if Seifer had managed to find out that she was, in actuality, a SeeD. That knowledge in his hands could very well put her life in danger, and then who would protect President Caraway?

"In there," the young man said. Grabbing her arm, the thug roughly shoved her through the door. SeeD training kicked in automatically, though, and Kylah managed to regain her balance quickly. She flicked her head back at the door just in time to hear and see it slam.

"Well, well, well," came a voice from the opposite side of the room. Very slowly and steadily, Kylah turned her head back and stood up straight. Evening her gaze, she stared directly into Seifer's eyes as he added, "Look what the cat dragged in."

The ex-SeeD was obviously making himself comfortable. He was seated comfortably in her father's expensive leather chair with his boots kicked up on the desk before him. As he continued to stare at Kylah, he casually lifted a cigar he had obviously 'liberated' from the ambassador's supply and took a quick drag of it. As he exhaled the smoke, he shifted his weight, moving his boots off the desk and sitting fully upright.

"Miss Deraldi," he said in a very even tone while never breaking eye contact, "Won't you sit down?" As he asked the question, Seifer gestured to one of the empty leather chairs in front of him.

"I would rather-" Kylah began.

"SIT DOWN!" Seifer yelled at the woman as he snapped to his feet, slamming both hands upon the desk. The sudden explosion had been so violent that the mercenary's voice actually cracked slightly under the strain. Unconsciously, Kylah took a step back at the outburst.

Resolute, she set her jaw and crossed her arms in front of her chest as she continued to lock gazes with Seifer. "As I tried to say," she said at a slow pace, making sure every word would sink in, "I would rather stand."

At long last, Seifer broke the stare-down. He lowered his head. Kylah's hopes that he did so in frustration quickly sank as his shoulders began shaking and a low rumble of laughter began to escape the man's throat. Finally, he leaned his head back and howled with laughter. "Miss Deraldi," he choked out between laughs, "You do not seem to understand the situation you are in."

"And what situation is that?" she immediately shot back at him. "The part where I'm a prisoner against my will?" she asked, one brow raised. "Or the part where you are an arrogant, self-centered ass?" she added, with a grin.

Seifer's expression hardened at that. "Let me rephrase my order, then," he said between clenched teeth. Grabbing his gunblade from beside the desk, he leveled the weapon toward her. "Sit down, or I'll cut out your Achilles tendons and let you flail around on the floor while I speak to you," he said in a tone that meant business. "I don't really care which way you want it," he added, "But one way or another, we will talk."

With an exasperated sigh, Kylah rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. Taking two steps forward, she moved the rough side of the gunblade aside as she took a seat in the left chair. "I really hope you have some actual conversation planned and not just you barking orders," she said evenly. Seifer had chosen his battleground poorly. He certainly had the tactical advantage, but in the arena of words, Kylah had more than enough confidence in her skills.

"See?" Seifer asked as he motioned both arms wide to his sides, "That wasn't so tough, now was it?" Sitting down, Seifer carefully returned the gunblade to its resting place on the opposite side of the desk from Kylah. He studied her expression carefully, trying to see if she was taking note of the weapon. She was an odd specimen, though. Rather than watch the weapon, she merely kept her gaze steadily upon him. "Hrmph," came the sound from his throat as he finally released the gunblade.

"Nice ice queen routine, by the way," he said as he leaned back in his chair. "Though you're not the first with that attitude I have laid eyes on," he added.

_Yeah, I'll bet Quistis took great pleasure in showing you that act once or twice._

"I have some questions for you, Miss, Deraldi," Seifer said as he leaned forward and crossed hands in front of his chin.

"Ask away," she replied with a neutral shrug, "I'll answer as best I can."

"It's so nice to see you cooperative, Deraldi," Seifer said without enthusiasm. Releasing his arms, he leaned further forward, looking much like a predator trying to size up his prey. "You're the daughter of one of Gabaldia's highest ranking ambassador's, who has supposedly lived here in Deling City all your life," he said in a rhetorical tone. "But, when I checked with the local schools, I found no record of your attendance. So, tell me, Miss Deraldi, why is that?"

_So that's your game_, Kylah thought to herself. With a long-suffering sigh, she rolled her eyes. "Is that it?" she asked him. "Ambassador's children aren't exactly the best thing to mix with public schools," Kylah said as she leaned back further into the comfortable chair, "I had private tutors. I never attended a formal school."

Seifer's eyes narrowed notably. "Alright," he said shortly, "I'll buy that." He didn't say anything else immediately, but stood up to his full height behind the desk, then leaned over the desk. "Then, would you mind setting another concern I had to rest?" he asked.

"I don't mind," Kylah answered dubiously, "But I believe you would probably ask me no matter what my response was."

Seifer leaned back away from her and stared at her for a brief moment. "I did hear another rumor about you," he said as he jabbed a finger in her direction. "That you haven't always lived her in the city."

"In fact," he added before she could say anything, "I heard you actually were a member of Gabaldia Garden."

Kylah folded her hands neatly on her lap and looked up at her interrogator. "A rumor?" she asked back, "You mean you actually listen to those things?"

"Answer the question!" Seifer screamed back and slammed his fists on either side of the center of the desk, causing the contents of the entire desk to rattle and shake.

"No," Kylah answered honestly as she jumped to her feet and slammed her hands on the desk in a similar manner, "I am not a member of Gabaldia Garden." _I'm a member of Balamb Garden_, she silently added. "And even if I were," she continued, "Wasn't that garden totally destroyed during the Ultimecia incident? You have no proof."

His hand was on the gunblade and its edge upon the side of her neck in a flash. "I don't need proof," he hissed at her between clenched teeth. "You sound like you're speaking the truth," he added as he pushed the weapon harder against her skin, "But I know how ambassadors are. They twist words and half-truths. You're the daughter of an ambassador. I figure you've picked up a trick or two along the way," he explained, pushing the weapon against her neck to emphasize certain points.

The reaction he had hoped for did not come, though. No tears, now cowering, no pleas. Instead, the confident woman before him turned her neck and looked up at him. The move exposed even more of her skin to the weapon, but the intent was clear. "Are we quite finished here?" she asked in a patronizing tone.

"Oh, we're anything but done," Seifer muttered under his breath. Those words and his next actions were not exactly what Kylah had expected. With a single movement, the mercenary removed the gunblade from her neck and bounded over the desk, snatching up her hair in his other hand. Literally pulling her backwards and off her feet, Seifer held her half off the ground by her auburn curls as he discarded his gunblade.

"You think you're all superior and that you know how to handle yourself, Miss Deraldi, but I can assure you that you ARE mistaken," Seifer said as he manhandled Kylah back towards the desk and away from the discarded weapon. As he slammed her into the desk, the small weapon she had managed to conceal dug into her spine, painfully reminding her of its presence.

"I know that you know HIM," Seifer hissed as he lowered his mouth to just inches from her ear. "How do I know?" he asked rhetorically, "Simple. Nearly two weeks ago, he was seen boarding a train bound for Esthar with a red-headed SeeD. I'm wagering that SeeD is you, Miss Deraldi."

As he ended the sentence, Seifer lifted up on her already painful scalp and placed his other hand on Kylah's neck. With what appeared to be ease, he hefted her into the air, cutting off her air supply and causing her to make rather undignified sounds as she struggled for oxygen.

"How do I know it's you?" Seifer asked in a tone that was borderline screaming, again, "Because it's just too convenient that you show up her so soon after what happened in Esthar. You have no idea how disappointing it is that the attack failed. Victory was so close and then snatched from my hands!"

Not even taking a breath, Seifer flung her like a ragdoll into the closest wall, bringing a pair of pictures crashing down as she slumped to the floor. _Easy Deraldi. If you fight back, you'll only give yourself away_, Kylah reminded herself as she choked as much air into her lungs as possible.

Seifer glanced casually down at her as she coughed and sputtered. "Maybe I should just take something else from him, eh?" Seifer said with a lecherous look at Kylah. Realization snapped her back from her dazed state and she shot an angry glare up at him.

_He wouldn't_, she fumed, unable to stop the cold chill that went down her back. No matter how hard she wanted to tear him apart, she forced herself to play the part of the helpless ambassador's daughter, loathing every second of it. Then she caught the look in his eyes. _Then again, maybe he would..._

Seifer reached down quickly, forcing Kylah's body to take up a defensive position, but no hit or grab came. After a moment, she peeked up to see Seifer squatted before her, looking at her with a most odd expression.

"You're even more beautiful than Rinoa," Seifer said wistfully, reaching out to touch her cheek. She had to fight not to shudder with revulsion. "I took her from him, you know." A red flag immediately went up within her, but she feigned ignorance and shot him a puzzled look.

"You see," Seifer continued, "Just killing him isn't enough. I want to break him, tear him down to nothing. So when I found out he had a little urchin, I decided to start there."

Kylah grew sick as she turned the words over in her mind again and again as he went on. "Then _she_ got in the way," he explained. "Rinoa. She begged for her daughter's life, but was easily thrown aside. Just as I made the attack to end his lineage, she jumped in front of me, knocking the stroller over. It was amusing to watch her spasm and squirm at the end of my gunblade. You could see it in her eyes, you know. That she knew she was already dead."

Kylah listened with growing anger welling up inside her as Seifer's eyes narrowed. "But," he added with obvious disdain, "She did something unthinkable. She was already dead, but she brought up her weapon and fired it. Broke my arm and ribs and would have killed me if I hadn't dropped her and rolled out of the way. I never got to finish off the urchin. Her lucky shot forced me to fall back when I heard voices coming. Still, the damage was done."

"I broke her," he said with a dark smile, "And broke him in the process. Since then, I haven't been able to get close enough to finish things, until Esthar."

Unexpectedly, he moved away from her, swaggering arrogantly across the room. "It's a real shame that didn't go off like I'd planned. From what I've heard, we almost lost our dear Squall in the whole mess, didn't we?" He eyed Kylah, looking for traces of emotion on her face that she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing. "I had just about given up on Esthar, to tell you the truth, after that last attack failed. But, then something came to my attention this morning that made the place just all the more irresistible to me."

Casually, Seifer picked up a newspaper off of the desk. "This is the newspaper out of Esthar," he said, holding it up for her. "There was a rather interesting article in it this morning, but I'm sure it's old news to you." With a flourish, he snapped it open, and began to read. "'SeeD Hero Revealed to be Presidential Love Child.'" He lowered the paper and grinned at her. "How perfectly convenient," he said, chuckling slightly. "I take out the president of one of the most powerful nations in the world, and take Squall's daddy at the same time. Too, too perfect."

Unconsciously, Kylah's fists clenched at her side. She had no time to act on it, however. With a fast motion, Seifer closed the distance between them and again grabbed her by the throat and hefted her against the wall. As he did so, there was a knock at the door. "Ah, do come in," he called over his shoulder as the Deraldis and General Caraway entered the room.

Kylah's mother let out a quiet yelp as she saw what was happening to her daughter as her husband's face turned a bright crimson in anger. "Seifer," he called out angrily to the mercenary, "You let her go this instant!" Before he could charge forward, though, one of the three soldiers who had entered with him kicked his knee out, driving him to the floor.

"What? Now that I have a _captive_ audience," Seifer called over his shoulder, grinning at his own pun, "I'm not about to stop the show."

"In fact, I want you all to see it, so you can tell Squall Leonhart what I did here, just in case she can't," Seifer added with a thumb pointed to Kylah. With a sudden movement, Seifer shredded her blouse with a quick pull. What he didn't see, though, was Kylah reaching behind her and deftly placing her hand on the hilt of her hidden weapon.

"You don't want to do this, Seifer," she rasped around the hand at her throat. "Make life easy on yourself and let me go."

He laughed a cold, chilling laugh that made Kylah shiver. It wasn't an evil laugh, but a maniacal one. And the wild expression in his eyes made the effect even more unsettling. "Oh, my dear," he said, tracing the fingers of his free hand under the curve of her breasts. "I really, truly do want to."

"If that's the way you want it," she wheezed. She had finally reached her breaking point. Seifer may be larger and more muscular, but she had leverage on her side. In one deft motion, she had her legs pulled up between them. Her feet connected hard with Seifer's chest as she kicked outwards, sending him flying backwards across the room and breaking his grip on her neck. In a split second she was on him, returning the painful hair pulling he'd given her with gusto, jerking his head backwards to expose his throat to the blade she'd pulled from behind her back.

The guards inside the doorway immediately raised their weapons to her, prompting her to look up at them with a dark look and press her blade into Seifer's throat. "If you want him to live," she said in a no-nonsense voice, "then I would suggest putting those guns down and walking out of this room, right now. And close the door behind you." As if to emphasize her point, a trickle of Seifer's blood oozed out from under the sharp edge of the dirk, dripping on the carpet below him.

The guards appeared momentarily indecisive as they watched her, briefly exchanging looks between them. Finally, Seifer began chuckling, and nodded slightly to the guards. "Do what she says," he said, agreeably. "I can handle her."

"Can you?" she asked as the guards slipped from the room.

"I know I can," he spat back at her as he suddenly shifted his weight. A split second later Kylah felt something hard and unforgiving crash into the side of her head, followed by a heavy weight colliding with her side. Immediately she finally let her SeeD training kick in and used the impact with the desk that followed to kick herself backwards. Seifer had grabbed one of the chairs and brained her with it.

Now he kicked the chair out of his way and began walking briskly towards her. "You better put that little toy away before you get hurt any worse than you're about to be," he said as he pointed to her small dirk.

Kylah wasn't about to be intimidated, though. With a deft slash, she put a nasty gash directly across the finger he had been pointing with. Seifer immediately jumped back and reconsidered the situation. Still, his soldiers were nearby and he wasn't about to let this little mouse get the better of him.

With a feral growl, he charged forward, swinging his left foot out as he leaped into the air. Kylah saw the blow coming and nimbly dodged to the side, slicing out with her weapon as plaster shattered from the impact. She quickly learned, however, that Seifer was faster than she had given him credit for. With a spinning right punch, he knocked her weapon hand upwards, then drove at her face with a left hook.

The redhead responded in kind by bringing her own left arm back across, but struck with her elbow, instead, smashing the incoming fist with a brutal force. With a grimace, Seifer realized that he wasn't about to beat her at any kind of agility and, instead, closed in on her quickly, bringing both fists down on her arms with a brutal attack. Kylah was out of evasion options and opted to throw a hard knee into his chest as he pounced on her. The impact of his weight quickly drove her off balance and slammed her into the window frame behind her.

As Seifer's weight added to her own, she heard and felt the glass splinter behind her and dig into her back. Calling upon all her strength reserves, she kicked him off of her, again and took another slash at him with the blade, cutting a rather large section of his coat off. A small, victorious smile crossed her face. The follow-up to the attack fell short, however, as he kept the combat as close and brutal as he could, driving his own elbow into her hand and finally knocking the offending weapon from her grasp.

Cursing to herself, Kylah backhanded his face, feeling his nose shatter immediately. Furious, Seifer grabbed both her wrists and drove hard against her, slamming her body into the desk in the room and driving the wood into the small of her back.

Letting out a strangled gasp, Kylah tried her best to will her body to respond, but it just floundered in the stronger man's grasp. She almost wondered if the impact had broken her back. Then she felt his breath in her face. "I knew you were a SeeD," he announced in a proud, yet hoarse voice. "Now I'm going to make sure everyone hears you scream," he added with obvious delight.

A thousand thoughts ran through Kylah's mind as she suddenly felt his hand fumbling with the buckle on her pants while she still struggled to break the grasp he had on both her wrists. _Don't give up, Deraldi_, she told herself. _There has to be a way out of this._ "What's the matter, Seifer?" she taunted, her eyes flashing. "Are you so caught up with jealousy and inferiority that you have to attack helpless people to get your point across? You'll never, ever be better than he is, Seifer. And you're proving that right now."

Seifer's furious retort was swallowed up by an earsplitting explosion. Both Kylah and her assailant looked up to see Squall and Zell staring Seifer down, malice in their gazes. Behind them, Irvine was holding a smoking gun over a fallen Punishment Syndicate thug. Quistis and Selphie stood over the other two, having dispatched them with ease. During the fight, the entire group had been so distracted that the SeeDs easily slipped in unnoticed and took care of the guards. Now Seifer faced a group of six angry SeeD's, his gunblade planted firmly against the wall on the other side of the room.

Kylah grinned at him triumphantly. "Yeah, you were right all along, Seifer; I am a SeeD. And now, my teammates over there are gonna kick your ass." And, still grinning, she punctuated her announcement by twisting her legs around just enough to swiftly offer Seifer's crotch a hard introduction to her knee.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Author's Note:** Sorry it took so long for me to update this! I got caught up in finals, then hit with a massive case of writers block! This is rapidly approaching the end of the story, though. Maybe another two chapters._

Chapter 21

It was the absolute worst scene that Squall could have imagined walking in on.

As Zell literally knocked the door to the study off of its hinges, the very first sight that greeted Squall was that of Kylah, pinned against the desk, and Seifer relentlessly holding her down. Her shirt had been ripped open in the front, and Seifer was smoothly reaching for the buckle of her pants.

The normally calm and collected SeeD commander literally saw red.

So angry was he that he hardly noticed the deafening sound of Exeter dealing with one of the three thugs assigned to that room. The sound was, however, enough to draw the attention of both Kylah and Seifer.

"Let her go, Seifer—" Squall started to say, but the statement proved unnecessary.

Kylah used the distraction to her advantage, taunted Seifer briefly, then brought one swift knee directly into Seifer's groin. With a strangled yelp, Seifer released her and took a dizzied step backwards, clutching at the injury. Breathless, he fell to the ground and doubled over, looking like he might vomit at any moment.

Squall wasted no time in reaching Kylah's side. "Are you okay?" he asked, looking her over.

Easing herself away from the desk, Kylah rubbed her lower back painfully. "I'm alright," she assured him. "Just a little banged up. I swear, it was like fighting a behemoth," she grumbled, trying to roll stiffness and soreness out of her limbs. She paused to glare down at Seifer. With great ceremony, she heaved one booted foot back and kicked him firmly in the kidney. "Next time pick on someone your own size," she said, firmly.

From the floor, Seifer rolled over, looked up at her and laughed. "Oh, I'm not done with you yet," he said, struggling to reach for her.

Before Kylah could react, Squall pulled her well out of Seifer's range. "I'd carry you out of here, but I don't think my shoulder can manage it," he said, sounding apologetic. Briefly, he looked her over, then shrugged out of his jacket. "Put this on," he said, tossing it to her. She obeyed without argument, since she was already feeling quite exposed in what was left of her shirt.

A loud noise in the hallway alerted them to the fact that it was only a matter of time before they were in a hot situation again. "We need to get out of here," Quistis said. She turned and looked at President Caraway and the Deraldis. "President Loire has offered the three of you refuge in Esthar if you feel that Deling City is not a safe place to be at the moment," she said kindly. Another noise sounded outside. "I would advise taking him up on it, at least for the time being."

"President Loire is very kind," Caraway said, graciously. "You'll have no arguments from me on that arrangement for now."

Seifer was struggling back to his feet by now, though having some difficulty managing it. "Run, run, run!" he cried, gleefully. "You can run, but you can't get away!"

"I think we can for now!" Zell said. He had taken the opportunity to open up the passage in the corner of the room. "Let's get the heck out of here and back to the Ragnarok before we bite off more than we can chew."

"Mr. President," Irvine said, bowing and gesturing toward the passage with a flourish. "Ambassador Deraldi, Mrs. Deraldi." Gratefully, the three of them passed by him and into the passage. Zell, Selphie, and Quistis were hot on their heels.

"Here," Irvine offered, scooping Kylah up before she could argue. "You're not moving too fast right now, and Squall is in no position to be carrying you." He flashed Squall a grin. "I promise, I'm not getting fresh with her."

Squall rolled his eyes. "Let's just get out of here," he said. Irvine nodded in response, and took off for the passage. Squall slammed it shut behind them, looking around as soon as the door was shut. Locating a stray metal rod lying near the stairs, he wedged in the door, making it nearly impossible to reopen. "I don't think that'll keep them occupied forever, but it'll buy us time. Now let's GO!"

* * *

A couple of hours later, the tired-looking group landed at the airstation in Esthar. They were both surprised and relieved to see a presidential caravan waiting to take them back to the palace.

Squall raised Kylah's chin gently, wincing at the bruises on the underside of her chin, and down along the sides of her neck. "You need to get to the hospital ward in the palace and have that looked at," he said, firmly.

Vehemently, Kylah shook her head. "No," she said. "It's really not as bad as it looks, and I have a lot that I need to tell you all. Right now, we need to get straight to the palace and find Laguna." Kylah's tone held a note of urgency, and left no room for arguments.

Several moments passed as Squall looked at her, a silent battle of wills passing between them. Selphie and Irvine exchanged amused looks, wondering which one's stubborn streak would win out. Finally, Squall nodded, and pointed to one of the cars. "Let's go, then," he said, sighing with resignation. He then offered her a stern look. "But as soon as we're done talking to Laguna, you're getting that looked at."

It took them only minutes to arrive at the palace. Once they arrived, presidential aids whisked President Caraway and the Deraldis off to guest suites elsewhere in the palace, and the SeeD company headed up the lifts to the top floor. As they walked through the door of the presidential office, Laguna looked up from his desk. His eyes widened as he looked Kylah up and down. "You look like you've been fighting with an elnoyle," he said, raising both brows in surprise.

Kylah grinned. "Yeah, well," she said, a bit smugly, "I completely ruined the other guy's weekend, so it's a good tradeoff."

Even Quistis couldn't resist a small smile. "I don't think the other guy will be having any kind of romantic thoughts about anyone for a very long, long time after meeting up with Kylah," she said, examining her nails.

Laguna looked back and forth between them for a long moment. "What did happen?" he finally asked.

Wearily, Kylah sank down onto the couch on one side of Laguna's office. "Sit down, and I'll tell all of you about it."

Everyone followed her lead, taking different positions around the office. Laguna in his desk chair. Selphie and Quistis both perched on the edge of his desk. Irvine leaned against a nearby wall, Zell energetically shadow-boxing in the corner. Squall took a seat beside of Kylah, and she took the opportunity to lean her battered body back against him comfortably.

"I have a lot to tell you all," she began, "and not all of it is going to be easy to hear." She took a deep, steadying breath, then launched into her story. She told them of her captivity in Deling City, and her subsequent encounter with Seifer Almsay. She described Seifer's maniacal attitude, how he had figured out her true identity, and used that knowledge to taunt and try to intimidate her. From there, she started into the deeper details of their conversation. She told them all the things Seifer had told her; how he had been behind the attack on the treaty signing. She spoke of his vendetta against Squall. And slowly, carefully, and without too many details, she described his story of Rinoa's death, and how he had killed her as she tried to protect Cassidy, his real target.

As she neared the end of her tale, she briefly glanced up at Squall. His lips were pressed firmly together, fury rolling in his blue eyes. Kylah felt a bit conflicted over Squall's apparent rage. On one hand, it felt a little odd to her to see him so angry over another woman. On the other hand, he had loved Rinoa and always would. It seemed only natural that he would be angry over this new revelation… right?

"That's some pretty heavy stuff," Zell mused when Kylah had finished.

"So, like," Irvine spoke up, "where do we go from here? Deling City was pretty well taken over by Punishment Syndicate when we left."

"Where did they get that many members anyway?" Selphie interjected.

Through all of this, everyone was carefully avoiding meeting Squall's gaze. For his part, he kept silent, dealing in his own way with the revelations that had been thrown at him. Carefully, he stood to his feet and strode across the room, refusing to look at anyone. He did pause briefly as he passed by Laguna, and glanced at him long enough to ask a single, terse question. "Cass?"

Laguna glanced up sharply, as Squall had abruptly pulled him from a numb shock. He shook his head to clear it, and then replied. "She's with Ellone. And we have guards posted around her room around the clock."

Satisfied that Cassidy was safe for now, Squall nodded and stepped over to the window. "I'll ask Elle if I can stay in there tonight, too," he said, folding his arms over his chest and gazing silently over the city of Esthar.

"Laguna," Kylah spoke up, carefully eyeing Squall even as she spoke to his father, "we need to tighten security on you, too. Squall's paternity isn't exactly a secret anymore, and that means that you're in more danger than you ever have been."

Laguna, too, shot his son a covert glance, then turned his gaze back to Kylah. Wrinkling his nose, he nodded. "I'm still not sure how that got out," he said with a heavy sigh.

A slightly bemused expression crossed Kylah's face as she raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I don't know," she said, dryly. "Only half of the hospital wing heard you announce it when Squall was taken in after the attack…"

Squall, by this time, had tuned everyone out. His mind was completely focused on the story that Kylah had told, and the terrible revelation that had come with it. It hadn't been some nameless face that had killed Rinoa two years ago – it had been Seifer, in cold blood. And even more chilling was knowing that he had taken Rinoa's life, but still failed at his real objective of killing Cassidy.

Though he fought hard against it, Squall's mind continually played scenarios over and over again that could have left things different. If he had done something differently, maybe Rinoa would still be alive. If he had gone with them to the park that day, like she had asked. If he hadn't insisted on keeping such a public and dangerous occupation.

He couldn't shake the feeling that somehow it was his fault.

As Squall stood in contemplative silence by himself, Laguna covertly watched him. Instinctively, he knew what was going through the younger man's mind. Maybe it was because he was his father. Maybe it was a case of a sixth sense of sorts firing away.

Or maybe it was just because he'd been there himself.

Silently, Laguna caught Kylah's eye and subtly glanced at Squall. He then shifted his gaze around to the other SeeD scattered about the room, and nodded his head just a touch toward the door. Kylah, understanding his silent request, nodded briefly in return, and listened as Zell finished a long monologue about what their next move should be.

"For the moment," she said, stretching, "my next move is going to be to head to the hospital wing and get some pain killers. Then I think a nice, hot bath is in my future." A bit painfully, Kylah rose to her feet, shot her friends a pointed look, then nodded at the door, indicating that they should follow in suit. On cue, each and every one of them made up an excuse as to why they needed to leave, and quietly exited the presidential office.

Squall never noticed that anyone had left, so wrapped up was he in his own thoughts. Laguna silently watched him for a moment, then stood to his feet, strode over and stood next to him to look out over the bustling city of Esthar. "Quite a view isn't it," Laguna said, breaking the silence.

Slightly startled, Squall looked up. Mutely, he nodded. Seconds later, it dawned on him how quiet the office had gotten. "Where did everyone go?" he asked, glancing around over his shoulder.

Laguna grinned. He didn't think Squall had been paying attention. "Kylah said something about painkillers and a hot bath, and everyone else followed suit."

Squall nodded again, frowning just slightly. "Yeah, Seifer really roughed her up," he said, a dark look filtering into his eyes again.

Another moment of silence passed between them, until Laguna once again broke it. "It wasn't your fault, you know," he said, softly.

The younger man looked up sharply. "What are you talking about?" he asked, while inside wondering if Laguna had somehow developed the ability to read minds.

Laguna simply continued to gaze out the window. "Rinoa. It wasn't your fault that she died, so don't go blaming yourself for it, whatever Seifer said to Kylah."

Squall stared at him for several long, silent moments. Finally, he turned his attention back to the window. "How did you know what I was thinking?" he asked, sounding a little tired and frustrated.

There was no answer for quite a while. Finally, Laguna swallowed hard and looked away. "Because I spent over twenty years blaming myself for what I thought I might have been able to prevent," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Sharply, Squall shot a look back at him. He couldn't speak, could only stare at his father speculatively. It had never occurred to him that anyone would understand how he felt right now, certainly not Laguna Loire. Suddenly, he began to realize that he and his father had more in common than he would ever care to admit.

Sighing, Squall folded his arms over his chest. "If I had gone with her that day, it might not have happened."

"Might is a pretty vague word," Laguna replied, folding his own arms in an unconscious gesture. "If you had gone, it might have been Cassidy that you lost instead of Rinoa." He paused and shot him a wry grin. "As Ellone is pretty fond of telling me, you can't live your life for what 'might' have happened." He shrugged. "If I had gone back to Winhill with Elle, you 'might' have had a completely different life and never even met Rinoa."

Squall sighed wearily. "Didn't we cover that a few days ago?" he asked, shooting Laguna a dark look.

Laguna thought it over, then shrugged. "Ah, probably," he admitted, waving Squall's annoyance away. "My point is, don't blame yourself for things that you might or might not have been able to change. Leave the past in the past. Concentrate on the future. That's what's important."

"As I see it," he continued, grin spreading over his handsome face, "there's a gorgeous girl waiting downstairs for you, and an even prettier and younger girl also waiting for you to tell her goodnight. You've got a pretty good present and future."

After a few silent moments, Squall replied. "I'll think about it," he conceded, looking out the window. Another beat passed before he turned to Laguna. "Where did all of that philosophical advice come from anyway? That doesn't sound like you."

Boyishly, Laguna reached up to scratch his head. "From Ellone," he admitted. A soft sadness passed across his eyes, just briefly. "She reminds me of that same thing every single August," he admitted, before turning away from the window and walking over to his desk.

_August…_ Squall thought, watching his father contemplatively. _My birthday._ For the first time ever, Squall felt some sort of connection to Laguna. They really were alike. Both had loved, both had lost. And deep down, both knew what it was like to wonder if there was anything that they could have done to make things turn out differently.

As he passed by Laguna's desk, Squall reached out and briefly clapped the older man on the shoulder as he bent over some paperwork scattered across the desktop. "I'll catch you in the morning," he said, briefly squeezing Laguna's shoulder. He released the small, brief contact, then headed toward the door and quietly exited.

The smallest of smiles tugged at Laguna's lips as he watched Squall walk away. The smile blossomed into a grin as the younger man left the room and the door slid closed. Laguna sat, grinning like an idiot at the closed door for several moments before he glanced over at the picture on his desk.

"Well," he said, "I'm making progress."

Raine only smiled in response.

* * *

Late that night, Kylah was settling dreamily beneath the covers in her room. It had been an incredibly long day, and the bed in Esthar felt nearly as good as the one she had at home in Balamb Garden. The mild painkillers that she had gotten from the nurse in the hospital ward had helped immensely, as had the hot bath she had taken. A tiny, blissful smile touched her lips as she remembered how Squall, bless him, had braved squeals, whistles, and catcalls from their friends to join her in the bath, bringing champagne with him.

At least the day had ended on a pleasant note.

Now she was settled cozily in bed, just on the verge of sleep. She could hear the snufflings and shufflings of Quistis and Selphie in the darkened room as the two of them also began to settle down to sleep. After several moments, she had nearly dozed off when Selphie's voice pierced the silent darkness.

"Kylah?" she called softly across the room. "I have a question…"

Yawning sleepily, Kylah rubbed her eyes. "What's that, Selph?" she asked, fighting to stay awake long enough to answer.

"I've wanted to know this for a while, and I figure you're in the best position to tell me, so I'll ask you." Selphie paused, and to Kylah it sounded distinctly as if she was trying hard not to laugh. "Is it true that a man's gunblade is in direct proportion to the size of his—"

"Selphie!" Kylah cried, her cheeks flushing a hot crimson. Next to her, she heard a distinct snort, and the bed began to vibrate as Quistis fought hard against her own laughter.

"What!" Selphie asked, sitting up in her bed. "I've always wondered about Squall. He's so cool and detached most of the time, I figure that he's a tiger in the bed—"

"SELPHIE!" she interjected again, burying her face under the pillow in mortification. By now, Quistis was making no attempts to hide her howling laughter.

"Oh, come on!" Selphie coaxed. She slid out of her bead and bounced over to jump on the end of Kylah's. "I share stuff with you about Irvine! It's only fair!"

Kylah peered at her from beneath her pillow. "You say that as if I want to hear those kinds of things about Irvine."

Quistis began pounding the bed with laughter, tears streaming down her face.

"What the heck is going on in here?" a sleepy voice called from the doorway. All three women looked up to see a tousled and annoyed-looking Irvine peering into the room. "You three are loud. What are you _do_ing?"

Kylah offered Selphie a smug smile, and promptly retaliated against her for the mortification she'd been subjected to. "We were just talking about your sex life," she said, smiling sweetly at Selphie. "Just what is that birthmark in the shape of?

The color drained from Selphie's face, and she shot Irvine a sharp, "deer in the headlights" look. Irvine's cheeks flushed and his eyes narrowed at Selphie. "Good night," he said sternly, just before he slammed the door behind him.

Dead silence rang in the room for several moments, as Selphie sat still, wondering what she should do. Finally, she dared to look over at Kylah and Quistis, and found them both shaking with silent laughter. "Not funny!" she cried, flouncing back over to her own bed.

Wiping the tears of laughter from her cheeks, Quistis sat up and looked over at her. "I hate to tell you this, Selphie," she chuckled, "but I think you deserved that."

* * *

"And you have no more troops to spare than that?" Squall asked, peering across the conference room table at Laguna.

The president of Esthar and the members of SeeD currently stationed in the city were all gathered in a small conference room, crowded around a world map that had been spread across the table. Their goal was to figure out a way to defend Esthar against a Galbadian/Punishment Syndicate attack if it came to that, and by now all looked flustered, frustrated, and more than a little tired.

Laguna dragged a hand through his hair. "That's it," he said, sounding a bit helpless. "Our troops were really depleted after the Lunar Cry, and we just haven't been able to recover as fast as we'd like."

Kylah's eyes scanned over the numbers. "If it's just Punishment Syndicate that comes," she mused, trailing her finger down the page in front of her, "then it will probably be more than enough. But if they bring the Galbadian Army too…"

"…Then we're screwed!" Selphie finished up, cheerily.

"We're screwed, then," spoke up a voice from the door. Everyone turned to find Kiros and Ward walking into the room, grim expressions on their faces. "Here," he said, handing Laguna a sheaf of papers. "Latest intelligence report."

Laguna's green eyes glanced over the pages, and his face went pale. Softly, he sword under his breath, uttering a word that raised even Kylah's brow. "Entire Galbadian army," he muttered, tossing the papers down on the table. "Headed right for us, with Seifer in the lead. If they keep their current heading, they'll land on the cliffs on the eastern part of the continent, passing right by the Lunar Gate."

"ETA?" Quistis asked, gazing down at the map.

"Two hours," Kiros responded, sounding glum.

"Then let's not stand around with our hands in our pockets looking depressed," Squall spoke up, stepping over to the table. This was a military operation. While Kylah shone in the political and diplomatic arena, military was his turf. "Kiros," he said, looking over at the older man. "Send out an order for any and all able companies to gather at the eastern edge of the city. Tell them to be battle ready."

He then turned to his teammates. "You guys be ready to head into battle too. We're going to support the Estharian army as best we can." His gaze paused, resting on Kylah. "Get on the phone and call Cid," he said, looking her directly in the eyes. "Tell him we need backup, and pronto. He'll know what you mean."

Fighting back a smile of pride, Kylah paused long enough to salute, then strode briskly out of the room.

Finally, Squall turned to Laguna. "Mr. President," he began, standing tall and firm, unafraid of what was to come. "With your permission, I would like to lead your army into this battle." His eyes darkened, expression grim. "If it's me that Seifer wants, then it's me that Seifer will get."


	22. Chapter 22

_**Author's Note:** Many thanks to my husband for helping to write the battle scenes!_

Chapter 22 – Battle Royale

A battle can be intense, chaotic, and mentally depleting. This, however, was an all-out invasion. Thus, the hours before seemed to echo those same sensations. The warning had come from a SeeD operative, warning of the mobilization of the Galbadian military. Esthar and Garden had flown into the action without any delay. The depleted Estharian soldiers swept through the city and evacuated civilians to shelters as best as possible. Other civilians, out of love for their country and their president, took up arms and joined the soldiers. The depleted forces nearly doubled in a mere matter of hours. Even still, 4,000 against 10,000 was no battle. It was a slaughter.

Yet, those were the best estimates supplied by SeeD operatives stationed outside of Galbadia. And soon, the enemy would be at the southeastern shores of Esthar. Laguna surprised both staff and family with how quickly he organized supplies, armor, and weapons for the troops. Even Squall had to admit that he was proud of Laguna for the role he would play, even if this would be their last stand.

With a sigh, Squall Leonheart ran his hands through his hair as he stared out of the presidential palace. Reinforcements from Garden had begun to arrive by way of Ragnarok, at first, but the Galbadian military had anticipated such a move. Though a vessel more than capable of dishing it out, Ragnarok was no match for the dozens of airships stationed between Balamb and Esthar. Ragnarok was grounded. That left him with a force roughly half the size of the opposition.

"How much of a chance do we really stand?" Kylah asked, stepping up next to him to gaze out the window.

Squall's only response was a slightly-helpless shrug. "We'll do the best we can. But… they have more than twice the manpower we do. Things don't look good."

Kylah turned to him. "It's never hopeless," she said, sticking her chin out defiantly. "Whatever happens, I'll be right there to back you up."

Squall turned from the window and looked down at the fiery redhead next to him. The fire and determination in her eyes brought a smile to his face. Spontaneously, he wrapped his arms around her and crushed his mouth over hers. "We'll get through this," he promised, pulling slightly away. "Together."

* * *

As sunset touched the red sands of the nation of Esthar, the sands shifted under the vibrations of Galbadian military vehicles and troops who were marching against the capital city of the continent. Laced throughout the large force were over a thousand more troops bearing the insignia of Punishment Syndicate. From his binoculars, the commander of the Estharian military assessed their odds. They weren't good. Squall had chosen the area between Tear's Point and the Lunar Gate as their battlefield. The enemy troops would be more spread out and easier to deal with in terms of wide-area attacks. Still, against such numbers, even the most veteran of troops were more than a bit shaky.

As the Galbadian military drew closer, Squall picked up a communicator in front of him and spoke into it, his voice echoing over the Estharian plains. "There's no turning back now," he said to everyone gathered. "Some of you have never fought a battle before in your life; others have seen battle and death, and have tasted both victory and defeat. I know that our odds don't look real great at the moment, but some of the biggest battles have been won against the worst of odds. We have hope. Just stick together and cover each other, and we can take these guys."

As Squall closed his address, the troops had a reaction he had not anticipated. A thunderous roar erupted from every corner of the gathered army. Weapons were raised and voices even overwhelmed the sound of the oncoming troops. Spinning on his heel, their commander threw his gunblade forward and shouted out the charge. From their trenches, Esthar loosed as much hell upon the earth as possible. Artillery fired over and over from the higher hills, bombarding the front lines with explosions and shrapnel that tore flesh and metal.

Following the power of the explosions came smaller arms fired. High-caliber machine guns opened fire from concealed positions in the red sand, tearing through more of their ranks.

With their entire front infantry decimated, the enemy changed its strategies. Vehicles charged around the dead and wounded, running them down as necessary. The armored vehicles bore down on the encamped Estharian army. The machine guns mattered little to the tanks and they were too fast for the second volley of artillery. But Squall had anticipated this. Just as the lead tank had its sights on one of the offending machine gun nests, it exploded to the sound of shredding metal beneath it. Four more quickly met with the same fate as hidden land mines beneath the surface detonated against the oncoming vehicles.

That was the last of Esthar's luck, it would seem. The remaining tanks suddenly folded over on their treads, then began moving just off the ground. "Hover engines," Squall gulped. "I didn't think they had finished developing those, yet," he said quietly, furrowing his brow. Still, he did not panic or allow his thoughts to be public. Instead, he signaled the Estharian vehicles to advance. Already the Galbadian armor had passed over the entire mine field and were peppering some of the machine gun nests with their heavy canons. The Estharian tanks sprang into battle quickly, meeting the enemy tanks head-on. Though Galbadia had come a long way with their technology in the last decade, Esthar still had the edge. The massive shells of the enemy tanks knocked off the heavier armor of the Galbadian tanks. The Estharian tanks were also more nimble on the field of battle, quickly unleashing laser blasts and sonic weapons that tore through the enemy armor like a hot knife through butter.

At first, it looked like the Estharian vehicles might be able to hold off Galbadia. Then came yet another unpleasant surprise. Large airships began swooping in on the battlefield and, using touch-and-go tactics, dropped two tanks each. Dozens of the vehicles quickly joined the fray and quickly began to overwhelm the Estharian vehicles. On top of that, the carriers then began dropping bombs all over army. Blast after blast tore through the barricades and ceilings, easily killing those within. Victory suddenly seemed a small straw to grasp at for Esthar.

"Hey, Squall," came a voice over the commander's com, "I hope you don't mind, but I had an idea." In the background of the message, the Squall could swear he heard Irvine shout, "Yee-haw!" Just as he was about to ask what Irvine was up to, one of the carriers suddenly crashed to the ground in the middle of the battlefield. Shots began raining upon all of the transports as they vainly tried to scatter from the sudden assault. Galbadia had stopped Ragnarok from reinforcing the troops, but had not factored on her getting of the ground in the heat of battle. It was an oversight that tipped the scales back somewhat.

Irvine and Selphie had let loose everything the spaceship had, by the looks of it. The machine guns quickly peppered through the lightly armored transports, sending one after another crashing to the ground. On one swoop, her pilot even graced the nearly exhausted Esthar armor with a strafing shot from her main canon. The blast quickly tore through several of the enemy vehicles and provided the remaining allies with a chance to fall back. Squall also saw opportunity and called up foot-troops and their anti-armor equipment. Dozens of missiles suddenly erupted, arcing through the air and slamming into tank after tank, reducing them to wreckage.

Clenching his teeth, Squall waited for another barrage of tank shells to come their way as the troops reloaded, but none came. There was no sound of treads or high-powered tank shells, though. Instead, the only sound that came was a low rumbling sound. Overhead, Ragnarok dodged gracefully through the air as several smaller ships flew at her, spitting deadly rounds at her red armor. Squall knew there was nothing he could do to help them now. He could only put his faith in Selphie and Irvine.

That turned his attention back to the ground. As he looked at the smoking wreckage, though, a large form began looming through the carnage that had once been the Galbadian armored division. The large shape seemed formless, but as it tore through the leading edge of the smoke, its true form was revealed. Two Guardian Forces that Squall had never seen before launched themselves towards the trenches. As he dove towards the rough earth, Squall cried out for everyone to take cover as the GFs unleashed their attacks upon the entrenched soldiers. The first GF resembled an oversized bull with two heads. Its attack was in the form of the ground suddenly buckling and shaking beneath the defenders. The attack shook the very foundations of the bunkers, caving them in on the souls within. Even through the shaking earth, though, Squall could both hear and feel the sudden charge of the enemy infantry. They were closing in, and fast.

The second Guardian Force, which resembled a four winged bird, used what looked like falling stars from the sky. Small specks of light bombarded from the heavens as the creature commanded them, crashing into the now exposed ranks of Esthar. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out they were dead if they stayed there and did nothing. With a wordless look to Quistis on his left and Zell just down the bunker from him, Squall nodded and the three sprang into action. From the center of the bunkers, three Guardian forces sprang forth, engaging the two that had just attacked. From one of the side bunkers, Kylah followed suit and unleashed her on Guardian Force upon the exposed flanks of the enemy. Together, Eden, Bahamut, and Pandemona were quickly overwhelming the two enemy Guardian Forces. That left the newly summoned Guardian Force to deal with the enemy troops. Flying forth from Kylah, a great ocean of flames seemed to form, and then erupted into a large, burning Phoenix. With an outraged cry, the creature dove at the side of the enemy, tearing through the frontlines and incinerating the foot soldiers thereof.

Even with the covering fire of the Guardian Forces, though, Galbadia continued its charge, trampling the living and dead from the fiery attack in an effort to reach the bunkers. This time, though, it was too late to use another swoop from her Guardian Force. Commanding it to hit the rear flanks, Kylah leaped to her feet and called the charge for her soldiers. Squall, Quistis, and Zell were all in the middle of the same action, themselves. With a loud roar from both sides, the two forces were upon each other in seconds. The roar was quickly replaced by the sound of metal striking metal and bodies being torn into by the various weapons of war. The Galbadian forces, though, still outnumbered the remaining Estharian soldiers by nearly 4 to 1, though. Squall knew it, but wouldn't turn his back on this fight. At least he would die doing what he was best at. Resigned to his fate, Squall spotted Ragnarok making another pass with two more ships still giving chase. "Selphie," he called across his com, "Things are tricky down here. If we can't hold them, you get Cass, Laguna, and everyone else you can fit into Ragnarok out of there."

The yellow-dressed SeeD's protest was cut short by a gunshot that nearly separated Squall's head from his shoulders. The blast had been diverted by an Esthar soldier who felled the enemy as they made the shot, though. With that, Squall led a small group back into the fray. All around them, their list of allies grew smaller and smaller. Quistis' group was nearly depleted and Zell's was just holding their ground against the larger force. There was no support left to call upon and they were quickly being overwhelmed. Obviously the members of the enemy army and Punishment Syndicate had been instructed to take no prisoners.

Then came the death-blow to Esthar. With a fluid motion, the Galbadian soldiers parted and a full division of Punishment Syndicate charged into the fray. These soldiers were not like Galbadian troops, though. They mimicked the training and warfare of Garden. This final straw quickly broke the remaining ranks of the defenders.

"Fall back!" Squall called over his com and to any who could hear him. "Fall back, now!"

But, there was little to fall back to. Their backs were now against the wreckage of the bunkers and navigating them was nigh impossible. The defenders were quickly pushed into a half circle against the ruined walls of the defenses. Squall quickly made his way to the front lines. There, Kylah had already positioned herself for the final assault. Quistis and Zell stood at the flanks.

"Well," Kylah spoke up, wiping blood from her lip, "at least we gave 'em hell, eh?"

Squall could not stop the half-grin that crept up on his face. "If I have to die, then at least it's beside you," he said softly, wearing his emotions on his sleeve for one of the rare instances in his life. He only hoped Selphie and Irvine would get Cass and Laguna to safety.

"So," came an all too familiar and arrogant voice from the enemy ranks. "Ready to surrender, Leonheart?"

Hatred leaped into Squall's eyes as he turned to face the voice. From the ranks, the familiar white jacket moved towards the front, then stepped into the front lines of the enemy. "Seifer…" he hissed between clenched teeth.

"Hasn't this personal vendetta gone far enough, Seifer?" Kylah called out from beside her commander. "How many more have to die for some imaginary crime against you?" she asked, trying one last ditch effort at talking their way out.

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," was the only retort that came from the leader of the Galbadian forces. "Is that all you do is talk, little girl?" Seifer shot back as he leveled his bloody gunblade at her. "If you want to blame anyone, blame your dear boyfriend," Seifer went on, the blood vessels in his neck swelling with each word. "He brought this judgment upon you all."

"Then spare them and take me, instead," Squall countered, lowering his gunblade.

A white-toothed smile slowly spread across Seifer's face as he looked at his long-time adversary. "What? A final showdown between the two of us?" he shot back. "Hrmph. I've won, and I have no need for ANY prisoners except you, Leonheart." With a maddening look upon Seifer's face, he stared long at Squall before adding, "Then I can make you watch as I kill your little woman, your friends, your child, and dear old dad. Only then will I grant you the peace of death."

Slowly, and under the pain from his shoulder, Squall brought his gunblade back up. "Their fate is mine, then," he boldly answered Seifer.

With only malice in his eyes, the head of Punishment Syndicate and the Galbadian army swung his gunblade out and called for the last charge against the resistance. The enemy soldiers quickly began to cross the small gap between them to deliver the finishing blow, but then stopped dead in their tracks, looking up.

Not daring to turn his back on his enemy, Squall resisted the urge to look, as well. That was the first time he noticed the ground shaking and a low, but very familiar hum. A wide smile spread rapidly across his lips as Squall was suddenly shadowed by a very, very large Garden that slowly flew overhead. Balamb couldn't get their reinforcements to the battle through Ragnarok, so they had brought the entire Garden facility. As Balamb Garden approached, it drifted out to the side, revealing a second and equally imposing shape behind it: Trabia Garden. Cid hadn't just brought out the cavalry; he had brought an entire army of trained SeeDs!

Through the stunned silence of the enemy forces, another sound quickly permeated the battlefield as the two large vessels flew overhead. Small orbs flew down at the gathered armies, whistling through the air until they hit. Only after dozens of the objects hit the ground did they explode into a vortex of fire and shrapnel. Through the explosions, zip-lines and parachutes fell from both Gardens. Literally thousands of SeeDs were leaping from their home to the aid of those below. Now, it was not the Estharian army that found itself boxed in; it was Galbadia. As they dropped their armies, both Gardens flanked the enemy army and settled to the ground, unleashing thousands more soldiers to the enemy's exposed ranks.

With a war cry, Squall Leonheart drew back his gunblade and charged the enemy ranks. His closest friends were right behind him, along with the remaining Estharian soldiers. The shocked and disoriented enemy put up little fight as they clashed into each other. But, Squall cared little for the soldiers he passed or cut down. His focus was on only one individual: Seifer.

The white coated foe was waiting for him, too, Gunblade ready to strike. Running at top speed, Squall slammed his gunblade down at his enemy. The impact of the two weapons fired off sparks and sent the two men reeling. Seifer immediately leaped back at Squall, swinging his weapon at the SeeD. Squall, however, grimaced as his shoulder shot pain up and down his entire back. The immediate onslaught from Seifer, though, forced him to override his body's desire to collapse. Diving to the side, Squall nimbly evaded the down strike from Seifer's gunblade, and then met it with his own in a side-strike. Standing back up, Squall renewed his assault against the fallen Sorceress' Knight. The weapons met time and again as the two both called upon their best dueling skills against each other.

The advantage was Seifer's, though. Squall was already exhausted and his shoulder was past its limit. He could literally feel the bones of his shoulder grinding against one another as he swung his weapon. As the SeeD commander continued to meet blow after blow from his opponent, Seifer began to strike more erratically and taking risks. _That has always been his weakness_, Squall thought to himself as he threw a stab at Seifer.

Then came the sensation and the blast that he had experienced many years ago. A fiery blast erupted from Seifer's hand. Swinging his gunblade into a defensive position, Squall met the blast head-on, intending to charge through it and sever the enemy commander's head from his shoulders. His shoulder couldn't withstand the impact, though. As he charged through the fiery attack, Squall's gunblade was slammed backwards, arcing around him into an awkward angle.

Seifer, never one to pass up a free strike, took it. To the horrified eyes of Kylah and Quistis who were dealing with a group Galbadian soldiers who just refused to die, Squall Leonheart charged forward and impaled himself on Seifer's waiting weapon. The trained SeeD had recognized too late that he couldn't maintain his attack and tried at the last second to break off. The move had saved his life, but now Squall found himself dropping his weapon, his chest just beside his good arm torn open by his opponent's gunblade. The other SeeDs tried to run in and help Squall, but it was too late. As he looked up, Squall saw the laughter on Seifer's lips as he drew back for the final strike.

That was before the world went white and soundless….

* * *

Laguna stood restlessly in the presidential office, gazing anxiously out the window over the city. Desperately, he wished his vision would allow him to see past the city's edge to the battlefield miles away. It was his army out there. His people. His tanks.

His son.

With a frustrated cry, Laguna punched the window, accomplishing little more than bruised knuckles. He sighed with annoyance and turned away from the window, impatiently waiting for Kiros to bring him a further update from the battlefield. As he turned, however, his eyes rested on a glass case in the corner. Inside, protected yet ready for battle at any moment, was his machine gun.

Laguna gazed at it contemplatively for a long moment. He could feel the cool metal of the gun in his hand, though he hadn't fought with it in over two decades. He had kept it in good condition, however, making sure it was ready at a moments notice. A slow grin spread over his face. With a quick glance around, he stepped over to the case and unlocked it. Quickly, he withdrew his gun and shouldered it, taking care to grab extra ammunition and a couple of grenades. I was a soldier, he thought. Surely I can still do this…

"Laguna, we just got the latest reports from the battlefield, and –" Kiros stopped as he entered the room, catching sight of Laguna, who looked very much like a child with their hand in a cookie jar. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"…"

"Ward says don't even think about it," Kiros added, folding his arms over his chest.

"Forget it, man," Laguna said, brushing past Kiros and Ward. "I have to do this. I can't just sit here and wait and see what happens. I need to be down there."

"You're the president," Kiros replied, sounding exasperated. "You can't get involved in a battle."

Laguna, who by now was halfway down the hallway outside of his office, turned back around and grinned at Kiros. "Then I resign!" he called cheerfully. He then turned and dashed toward the exit, suddenly appearing a lot younger than he was.

Kiros sighed and looked up at Ward. "You don't _really_ think he meant that do you?"

"…"

* * *

The hand grenade had landed right under Seifer's feet. Alarmed, the ex-SeeD leaped back, but not in time to totally avoid the attack. The explosion sent him flying through the air, landing face-first several feet away. As Seifer stood back up, he turned his bleeding head and glared back at his chosen target. Squall was still there, but looked dazed from the concussive blast of the grenade. A pair of brown trousers obstructed Seifer's view of the SeeD commander. Following the legs up, Seifer narrowed his gaze as it met a blue jacket, machine gun, then the black hair of Laguna Loire. To say the least, the president of Esthar was NOT happy.

"Well, well, well," Seifer coughed as he stood back up. "Dear old dad decided to jump in and save the day."

"Get the hell out of my country," Laguna commanded in the best presidential tone he could manage. Truthfully, he was sweating more bullets than his clip held. He hadn't been in actual combat in over two decades, and Seifer seemed to know it. With a grin, he bowed at Laguna, and then jumped at him.

Rolling to his side, Laguna peppered the area with bullets, shredding the coat tails of Seifer's jacket as he flew by. Unfortunately, Laguna had to keep himself between Seifer and Squall. To let his opponent through would mean certain death for his son. The younger, more agile, and battle-hardened Seifer was taking complete advantage of this. He kept Laguna on the defensive, forcing him to fall back further and further. The gun just wasn't effective against such close-ranged combat against a bladed weapon.

As Laguna was quickly trying to think of options to get out of this, Seifer performed a maneuver he'd never seen before. With a mad charge, his enemy dashed forward, ignoring the biting bullets as they tore into his shoulder and thigh. Scraping his weapon along the ground, Seifer imitated one Squall's moves, Rough Divide. In desperation, Laguna thrust his weapon forward to take the attack. With a crunching sound, the machine gun split in half as Seifer's weapon met with Laguna's chest.

The president of Esthar flew backwards, his entire world on fire. As he met the ground, Laguna rapidly stood up, then fell back to his knees, unable to breathe. A quick look down told him that his chest was bleeding heavily from the massive gash that Seifer had left him. Looking to his left, Laguna saw Squall, still kneeling from his injury, as well. Seifer stepped forward, laughing maniacally as he brought his weapon back to slay both of them in one move.

"S-son," Laguna managed to gasp.

"Dad…" Squall answered in a raspy tone.

Both men looked at each other. In that look, they communicated what they had not been able to for so long. Both of them smiled, despite the emanate death approaching them. Neither saw the blue arcs of raw energy flowing between them. Neither of them felt a Guardian Force activate and materialize in the physical world. Neither stayed conscious long enough to see the shocked look on Seifer's face.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23 – Wrapping it All Up

A soft moan escaped Squall's lips as he began to regain consciousness. Screwing his eyes more tightly shut, he threw his arm up over his eyes. Who would have thought that light could cause that much pain?

With great effort, he finally managed to pull his arms away and open his eyes just a little. He found himself lying comfortably in a hospital bed in a brightly lit room. Kylah was perched on the end of his bed, legs crossed and dangling over the edge of it. She was filthy dirty, banged up, her hair was in absolute disarray, and yet she still wore an absolutely smug and satisfied grin as she watched him.

He managed to return the smile. His face, remarkably, was one area of his body that didn't hurt. "You look like the cat that ate the canary," he remarked, looking up at her.

Kylah's grin broadened. "Well, not really," she replied, leaning over to plant a kiss firmly on his lips. "But I watched it get devoured."

Squall started to ask her what she was talking about, when the memories of his last moments before unconsciousness flooded his mind. Struggling to sit up, he looked at her urgently. "Laguna…?" was all he dared to ask.

"Over here," a drowsy-sounding voice called from the other side of the room. Squall turned his head, looked across the room, and found Laguna stretched out in another bed. He was shirtless, bandaged from one shoulder to the opposite side, and slightly glassy-eyed from painkillers. "I think I was trampled by a behemoth," he said, gazing contemplatively at the ceiling. "Maybe a ruby dragon."

Kylah chuckled, slid off of Squall's bed, and stepped over to look down at the president of Esthar. "That," she said, poking him lightly on his uninjured shoulder, "was reckless, careless, inconsiderate…" she paused, and then smiled. "…And incredibly brave. But what possessed you to rush out there and fire a gun that hadn't been used in over twenty years? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"

Sheepishly, Laguna grinned up at her. "I couldn't let you guys have all the fun," he replied, boyishly.

Laughing, Kylah shook her head. "Kiros said to tell you that he rejected your resignation, by the way."

"Ah well," Laguna said, settling more comfortably into his bed. "At least I'll get a vacation out of this mess," he added, pointing to his dressings.

"The last thing I remember is Seifer getting ready to strike us down," Squall interjected, a contemplative look on his face. "What happened after that? How did we get here?"

Scrunching her dirty nose, Kylah flopped down in a chair between their beds and propped her feet up on the end of Squall's bed. "I'm not exactly sure, to tell you the truth," she began, looking thoughtful. "I saw Seifer start to run at you, and I remember fighting as hard as I could to get over and help you. But then something strange happened…"

She closed her eyes, wanting to remember every detail of the scene. "Just before you both collapsed, you developed blue auras around you. The auras then began to form bolts of blue energy that began to arc between you. The energy formed what looked like a giant flower on the verge of blooming, but when it opened it formed what looked like a woman."

Her eyes opened, and she looked back and forth between the two men who now looked at her with nearly-identical, astonished, intent expressions. "She was gorgeous, with white skin and pale blue armor. She had long, dark hair that fell halfway down her back. And she had a sword that had a blade that looked like pure crystal. She paused, looked at each of you, smiled, then turned to Seifer." Kylah paused for dramatic effect. "And nailed him with the sword."

"Woah…" Laguna breathed, stunned.

"A GF?" Squall asked.

Kylah shrugged. "I would say so, though I'm not sure what. She looked very nearly like Shiva with the blue and white, but not quite." She stopped and looked back and forth between them for a moment. "It almost seemed as if she was born from the connection between the two of you. And she seemed very fond of you both."

Squall glanced at Laguna, remembering the brief moment of connection on the battlefield before all had gone black. "Could be…" he mumbled, looking away.

Laguna looked at him for a moment, but decided not to press the issue. "Was Seifer killed?" he asked, cautiously.

"Almost, but no," Kylah replied. "He'll be receiving medical treatment at the local mental health facilities. He'll be locked away for a very, very long time." She looked at Squall, and saw relief flood through his eyes. Finally, no more looking over his shoulder.

"With their leader gone, Punishment Syndicate and the Galbadian army turned tail and fled. They should be nearly back to Deling City by now. President Caraway and Ambassador Deraldi have gone back to greet them, and restore order to Galbadia. But," she added, looking at Laguna, "President Caraway wanted me to be sure to tell you that he fully intends to return next week to sign that treaty, just as was intended."

Laguna smiled, looking satisfied. "Alls well that ends well, I guess," he said, settling back in his bed. Kylah noticed that, now that he knew what had happened while he was out, the president was beginning to look a bit drowsy.

When Squall yawned too, Kylah stood, stretched, and leaned over to kiss him gently. "I'm heading down to go to bed," she said, softly. It's the middle of the night, and everyone else has been out for hours."

Sleepily, Squall nodded. "See you in the morning," he murmured, allowing the effects of painkillers to overtake him.

Peering out from under his blankets, Laguna looked up at her. "Don't I get a goodnight kiss too?" he asked, devilishly. "And maybe a bedtime story..."

Squall glared at his father, and Kylah laughed with amusement. "Go to sleep," she chided. "I'll see you both in the morning."

* * *

_One week later…_

"Well, sir, with the signing of the treaty, that ends your contract with SeeD."

Kylah stood, straight and tall in Laguna's office, looking trim and professional in her SeeD uniform. President Caraway and Ambassador Deraldi had just left the office to return to their suites for a brief rest before being taken out for a tour of the city. They both felt that a few days of rest were in order, and were very interested in getting a better look at the impressive city of Esthar. Laguna was more than willing to accommodate them. Squall had announced yesterday that he was taking a much-needed vacation, and would be spending the next few weeks in Esthar. At that moment, he and Ellone were spending some time with Cassidy at a nearby aquarium. Quistis, Irvine, Selphie, and Zell had all returned to Balamb Garden days before, and had all likely been sent out on new missions by now.

Laguna folded his arms over his chest, winced, and settled for resting his palms on the top of his desk and leaning back against the front of it. The wound on his chest, while much better than it had been, was still very tender. "I guess that does wrap things up," he observed, gazing thoughtfully at the redhead. "So, what's next on your agenda?"

She shrugged carelessly. "I suppose I'll go down, pack my bags, and return to Garden. Wait for the next assignment to come up."

The president stared at her as if searching for something. "Do you ever get tired of it? That lifestyle, I mean."

Surprised by the question, she cocked her head slightly and gazed at him for a moment. Did she? "I suppose that I'd be lying if I said that I didn't. It does get a bit old from time to time."

"Ever thought about changing careers?"

She eyed Laguna warily. "I hadn't really thought about it…" she replied, cautiously.

He grinned at her, stood straight, then walked around the desk to sit at it. "One of the reasons that I sent for SeeD is because I'm currently without a Minister of Foreign Relations," he said, picking up a pen and beginning to idly toy with some paperwork. "I liked the way you handled yourself in those negotiations. Would you be interested in the job? It pays well…" he added, sliding a piece of paper across the desk with a figure on it.

Stunned, Kylah could only stare at him for a few astonished moments. "Whaaa?" she finally managed to ask, not quite sure if she'd heard him right.

"You heard me," he said, pointing to the paper.

With slightly trembling hands, Kylah picked up the paper. The figure on it forced her to grope behind her for a chair. Her SeeD salary couldn't touch it.

"Well?" Laguna prodded, looking over at her expectantly.

For a long, silent moment, Kylah weighed her options. In truth, this was the kind of job that she would love. A full-time ambassador, with an astronomical salary. But…

"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't take it," she finally said, looking up at him.

Disappointment fell over Laguna's face. "Can I ask why not?"

Briefly, Squall's face passed through her mind. "As much as I'd love the opportunity," she replied, placing the paper back on the desk, "and as much as I'd like working with you… it's just not worth what I'd have to leave behind at Garden." _Or who…_

"Ah well," Laguna shrugged. "You can't blame me for trying."

"I do appreciate the offer," she said, standing to leave. It nearly killed her to walk away from that job offer.

"If you ever change your mind," Laguna said, smiling at her, "the job is yours."

"I'll remember that," Kylah responded, returning the smile. And then, without further word, she left the room before she could change her mind.

* * *

"I think I liked the manatees best," Cassidy said decisively as she walked along the corridor with her father. They had just left Ellone at her own suite, and were now headed in the direction of Kylah's suite. 

"Did you now?" Squall asked, amusement on his face as he looked down at the energetic, dark-haired girl.

"Yep!" she said. "They were soooo funny! Can we go show this to Miss Kylah?" she asked, holding up the stuffed manatee that Ellone had bought for her.

"Sure," he replied, anxious himself to see the redhead before she left. He paused and looked down at his daughter again. "You like Kylah, don't you?"

Cass nodded enthusiastically. "She's funny, and really nice! I like her a lot!"

"Would you like it if we kept her around?" he asked, choosing the words he spoke to his young daughter carefully.

The girl's green eyes widened. "Are you gonna marry her, daddy?" she squealed, delighted.

Squall stopped short and looked down at her. "It's a bit early to think about that, squirt. But I think she will be around for quite a while."

By now they had reached the door to Kylah's suite. Squall opened the door and Cass rushed in at top speed. "Kyyyyyyylaaaaaaahhhhhh," she called, running through the suite. Spying the open door, the little girl ran into the bedroom where Kylah was packing up her belongings to head home. "Look what Aunt Elle got me at the 'quarium!"

Squall entered the room to find Cassidy bouncing on the bed, peppering Kylah with tales of their adventures of the afternoon. Kylah listened attentively as she folded her clothes into a suitcase, delight and amusement reflecting in her blue eyes. Squall crossed the room, slid up behind her, and slipped his arms around her in a brief embrace. "You heading back to Balamb already?" he asked, his voice tinged with surprise.

Kylah turned and looked up at him. "Of course," she replied. "My mission is over." She pulled away to continue packing her clothes. "How long will your vacation last? When will you be coming back?"

He hesitated. "I wanted to talk to you about that," he began. Quickly, he glanced over at his daughter. "Cass, go in the next room and watch TV for a bit," he said.

"But there's a TV in here!" she cried, pointing.

"Scoot," he replied, firmly, pointing at the door. "I need to talk to Kylah for a minute."

"Aw, man!" Cass grumbled as she hopped down and stalked out of the room. "I always miss the good stuff…"

Squall chuckled as he watched her leave, then sat on the bed and looked up at Kylah. "I've been talking to Laguna, and he made a request of me and of Cid. Cid and I have talked it over for the past couple of days, and it's going to become a reality." He paused and took a deep breath. "I'm going to stay here, and oversee the construction of an Esthar Garden, then stick around to be the headmaster."

Kylah stood and stared at him for a moment, blinking in surprise. Conflicting emotions coursed through her. On one hand, she was happy and excited for both Squall and Laguna. But on the other hand… "What about me?" she asked, hurt flickering through her eyes. "I thought we would be together, at Balamb," she turned away.

A slight look of confusion passed over Squall's face. "Well, now I'm a little confused," he replied. "Laguna said that he'd take care of that and talk to you about it. He said that he had a way for you to be here, too."

She froze, realization dawning on her face. "That sneaky…" she finally managed to say. Grinning broadly, she whirled around and planted a thorough, passionate kiss on Squall's startled lips. "I'll be right back," she promised, and then dashed out of the room and out of the suite before he had a chance to respond.

Just after Kylah left, Cass crept back into the room. Climbing up into her father's lap, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "She's gonna stay," she assured him, leaning against his shoulder. "Grandpa 'Guna will talk her into it."

Kylah stepped purposefully into Laguna's office, stopping just inside the door and folding her arms

* * *

over her chest. "You sneaky old man," she said, eyeing him sharply. 

He didn't look up from the paperwork on his desk, and smiled triumphantly. After a moment he forced the smile from his face and looked up at the redhead innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, eyes wide.

"Nice try," she replied. She crossed the room and perched on his desk. "Why didn't you tell me that Squall was staying here?"

Laguna grinned boyishly up at her. "I guess this means that you changed your mind about the job?"

She shot him a withering look. "Okay, you have my curiosity up," she said. "I can understand why you'd want Squall here. But why try so hard to get me here, too?"

"A couple of reasons," Laguna replied, smiling. "For starters, I knew that there was no way that Squall would come without you. You were the clincher on that deal."

Kylah rolled her eyes. "Glad I could be of help," she said, sarcastically.

"The second reason," he continued, ignoring her comment, "is more complicated." He paused, the smile vanishing from his face. Rising to his feet, he walked over to the window and gazed out over Esthar, an affectionate look on his face. "I'm the president here now because twenty-three years ago, the Sorceress Adel was looking for a successor. I don't exactly agree with her methods, but I am starting to see the logic in her decision." He paused for just a moment to gather his thoughts. "I'm not as young as I used to be, and one day I'm going to want to retire. I want to know that, when I do, Esthar is in good hands."

You could have knocked Kylah over with a feather. "Are you saying...?" she dared to ask.

Laguna turned from the window. "If you take this job, Kylah, I'm going to start grooming you for my job one day."

Kylah stared at him for a minute. "I need a drink," she finally managed to say.

"I want you to know the responsibility you'd be accepting up front," Laguna continued. "But that is my intention."

After a moment, Kylah found her breath. "But why me?" she forced herself to ask.

Shoving his hands in his pocket, Laguna smiled at her. "Because I've seen you in action. You're brave, courageous, and you don't let people walk all over you. You stand up for what you believe in. And you have people skills that astound even me." He paused. "You can do the job, Kylah, and I'd feel comfortable leaving Esthar with you one day."

"But what about Squall?" she asked. "He's your son. Shouldn't he be your…heir?"

Now Laguna outright laughed. "Can you really picture Squall doing the political thing? He'd go nuts inside of a week."

A grin spread over Kylah's face at the very thought. "Yeah, he would," she admitted. Silence filled the room as she pondered Laguna's offer. "How long of a 'grooming' period are we looking at?" she finally dared to ask.

Laguna only shrugged. "I have no idea. Years, probably. This is a one-day, down the road kinda thing. I like my job, and I don't intend to leave it for quite a while…even if I did try to resign last week," he added, sheepishly.

She absorbed that for a moment. She considered her options, weighed the consequences. She thought about Squall, and tried to imagine being in Balamb, away from him and from Cassidy. Finally she stood, crossed the room to Laguna, and held out her hand to him. "Mr. President," she said, grinning. "You've got a deal."

Fin

_**Author's Note:** This is the end of this story, but not the entire story. Keep an eye out for the sequel to this one, to be titled "New Beginnings."_


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